CiC  Clears  in  the 


THE    STORY 

OF     THE 

THIRTEENTH  MASSACHUSETTS 
VOLUNTEERS 

FROM 

JULY  1 6,  1861,  TO  AUGUST  i,  1864 


BY 

CHARLES    E.    DAVIS,    JR. 


BOSTON 

E  S  T  E  S      AND      L  A  U  R  I  A  T 
1894 


E  5    3 


Copyright,   1893 
BY   CHARLES    E.  DAVIS,  JR<, 


PRESS   OF 

Eocktocll  anU 

BOSTON,    U.S.A. 


TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 


.   Elision  flHatoo   SEfjitneu 

LATE    SURGEON    OF    THE    THIRTEENTH 


THIS    BOOK    IS    AFFECTIONATELY    INSCRIBED 


BY 


THE    AUTHOR 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

ORGANIZATION   OF   THE   REGIMENT  .  xi 

CHAPTER    I. 
BOSTON    TO   WILLIAMSPOKT  : 

July  29,    1 86 1,  to  February  28,    1862        ....  J 

CHAPTER    II. 

WlLLIAMSPORT    TO    WINCHESTER: 

.March   i   to  March   17,    1862 20 

CHAPTER    III. 
WINCHESTER   TO   WARRENTON   JUNCTION: 

March   18  to  May   11,    1862 40 

CHAPTER    IV. 
WARRENTON  JUNCTION   TO   FALMOUTH  : 

May  12  to  May  27,   1862  ....  60 

CHAPTER    V. 
FALMOUTH   TO   CEDAR   MOUNTAIN: 

May  28  to  August  9,    1862  .         74 

CHAPTER    VI. 
CEDAR   MOUNTAIN   TO   HALL'S   HILL  : 

Battle  of  Manassas.     August   10  to  September  6,   1862  100 

CHAPTER    VII. 

HALL'S   HILL   TO   SHARPSBURG: 

Battles  of  South  Mountain  and  Antietam.     September  7  to 

October  25,   1862   .  ...       131 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
SHARPSBURG   TO   FLETCHER'S  CHAPEL: 

October  26  to  December  31,    1862 149 

(v) 


vi  TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

FLETCHER'S  CHAPEL  : 

Mud  March.     January   i   to  April  27,    1863          .          .          .176 

CHAPTER    X. 

FLETCHER'S   CHAPEL  : 

Battle  of  Chancellorsville.     April  28  to  May  7,   1863  ,       200 

CHAPTER    XI. 
FLETCHER'S   CHAPEL   TO   EMMITSBURG  : 

May  8  to  June  30,    1863    .          .          .          .         .         .  211 

CHAPTER    XII. 

EMMITSBURG  TO   GETTYSBURG  : 

Battle  of  Gettysburg.     July  i   to  July  5,    1863    .         .         .       225 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

GETTYSBURG   TO   KETTLE   RUN  : 

Across  the  Potomac  River.     July  6  to  November  4,  1863    .       250 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
KETTLE   RUN   TO   MITCHELL'S    STATION  : 

Battle  of  Mine  Run.     November  5   to  December  31,  1863  .       274 

CHAPTER    XV. 
MITCHELL'S   STATION  : 

January   i   to  May  3,    1864          ......        299 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
MITCHELL'S   STATION   TO   BETHESDA   CHURCH: 

Battles  of  Wilderness  and    Spottsylvania.       May  4  to  May 

31,   1864         .........       326 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
BETHESDA  CHURCH   TO   PETERSBURG  : 

June  i   to  July  13,   1864     .......       356 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 
HOMEWARD   BOUND  .........       380 


PREFACE. 


A  T  a  meeting  of  the  regimental  association  of  the  Thir 
teenth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  Dec.  13,  1892,  the 
writer  was,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  appointed  historian  of  the 
regiment.  However  unequal  to  the  performance  of  such  a 
task  one  might  feel  nearly  thirty  years  after  the  war,  he 
could  not  disregard  an  honor  so  flatteringly  expressed. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  work  I  have  attempted  to  give 
an  accurate  statement  of  the  regiment's  whereabouts  on  each 
day  of  its  three  years'  service,  with  such  details  of  its  daily 
experience  as  would  convey  a  truthful  picture  of  army  life  as 
it  appeared  to  the  rank  and  file. 

The  opinions  and  judgments  expressed  are  believed  to 
be  those  shared  by  a  majority  of  the  regiment  during  its  ser 
vice.  As  we  were  no  wiser  than  the  rest  of  mankind  at 
eighteen  to  twenty  years  of  age,  some  of  the  statements  may 
seem  very  crude  in  the  light  of  present  information.  What 
we  thought  at  the  time,  about  events  in  which  we  took  part, 
is  of  more  value  to  the  future  historian  than  what  we  may 
now  think  about  the  same  events  or  persons. 

Elaborate  accounts  of  campaigns  have  been  omitted  as  not 
coming  within  the  sphere  of  a  regimental  history.  In  those 
instances  where  an  explanation  seemed  necessary  for  a  proper 
understanding  of  our  movements,  I  have  quoted  from  books 

(vii) 


viii  PHEFACE. 

which  are  generally  accepted  as  authority,  in  preference  to 
statements  of  my  own. 

The  material  placed  at  my  disposal  is  as  follows :  The 
diaries  of  Lieut.  William  R.  Warner,  Samuel  D.  Webster, 
Lieut.  Edward  F.  Rollins,  Lieut.  Robert  B.  Henderson,  and 
Sergeant  William  M.  Coombs.  None  of  the  diaries  covered 
all  the  time,  but  those  of  Messrs.  Warner,  Webster,  and  Rol 
lins  were  the  most  complete  ;  those  of  Messrs.  Henderson  and 
Coombs  included  the  Mine  Run  and  Wilderness  campaigns. 
Col.  Charles  H.  Hovey  made  copies  of  such  parts  of  all  his 
letters  as  related  to  our  movements  during  his  presence  with 
the  regiment.  The  regimental  books,  papers,  and  maps  were 
turned  over  to  me  by  Col.  Samuel  H.  Leonard.  The  "War 
Records  "  which  are  in  progress  of  publication  by  the  gov 
ernment  have  been  of  great  service  in  settling  disputed  points. 
I  have  derived  information  from  other  comrades,  whom  I 
have  met  from  time  to  time,  chief  among  whom  is  Sergeant 
Jeremiah  P.  Blake.  In  addition  to  the  material  furnished  me 
by  Lieutenant  Rollins,  I  cheerfully  acknowledge  the  valuable 
assistance  I  have  received  from  him  in  other  ways. 

At  the  adjutant-general's  office  I  have  received  every 
courtesy  and  privilege  I  could  wish.  I  have  personally  com 
pared  the  name  of  every  man  in  the  regiment  with  the  record 
in  possession  of  the  State.  Wliere  the  difference  was  trivial  I 
have  adhered  to  the  regimental  book  ;  in  cases  where  there  has 
been  a  considerable  difference  I  have  made  careful  inquiries 
before  accepting  either  statement.  As  an  additional  safe 
guard  against  error  I  have  submitted  the  record  of  each  com 
pany  to  one  or  more  members  thereof  for  examination  before 


PREFACE.  ix 

sending  the  list  to  the  printer.  In  spite  of  all  these  precau 
tions,  inaccuracies,  no  doubt,  will  appear.  About  three 
hundred  and  seventy-five  comrades  have  furnished  me  with  a 
statement  of  their  service,  and  that  I  have  accepted  in  all 
cases  as  being  correct. 

It  was  thought  that  a  series  of  maps  showing  the  route  of 
march  of  the  regiment,  —  the  direction  being  indicated  by 
arrows,  —  and  the  relative  position  of  towns  mentioned  in  the 
text,  might  aid  the  reader.  They  were  plotted  by  the  writer 
and  submitted  to  Sergeant  Coombs,  who  put  them  into  their 
present  shape.  While  they  reflect  credit  on  his  skill  as  a 
draughtsman,  he  is  not  responsible  for  any  errors  they  may 
contain.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  maps  are  not 
drawn  to  scale,  as  such  a  labor  was  deemed  unnecessary  for 
our  purpose. 

In  sincerely  thanking  all  those  comrades  who  have  aided 
me  in  my  labor,  I  ought  not  to  forget  the  kindly  services  of 
Dr.  Samuel  A.  Green,  surgeon  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Massa 
chusetts  Volunteers,  who  has  taken  a  great  interest  in  the 
progress  of  the  work,  and  whose  advice  and  assistance  have 
been  of  great  value. 

CHARLES   E.   DAVIS,   JR. 

BOSTON,  November  i,   1893. 


.  —  The  design  on  the  front  cover  is  a  fac-similc  of  our  monument  at 
Gettysburg. 


ORGANIZATION. 


T^HE  present  generation  has  no  conception  of  the  consternation 
that  prevailed  among  the  people  of  the  North  when  the  start 
ling  news  was  received  that  Fort  Sumter  had  been  fired  upon.  It 
aroused  the  patriotic  indignation  of  the  community  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  excitement. 

Up  to  this  time  most  people  were  sceptical  about  the  possibili 
ties  of  a  war.  Threats  of  secession  had  often  "been  made  before, 
by  politicians  of  the  South,  without  being  carried  into  effect.  The 
feeling  of  hatred  that  existed  toward  the  North  was  not  fully 
appreciated  except  by  a  comparatively  small  number  of  persons. 
Although  the  air  was  filled  with  rumors  of  war,  they  were  generally 
believed  to  be  nothing  more  than  the  irrepressible  mutterings  of  dis 
gruntled  politicians.  Therefore,  when  the  announcement  was  made 
that  Fort  Sumter  had  been  fired  upon,  it  awoke  the  public  mind  to 
a  realization  that  rebellion  and  secession  were  at  hand.  Public 
meetings  were  held  in  every  town  and  city.  Resolves  were  passed 
condemning  the  outrage,  coupled  with  an  expression  of  determina 
tion  to  avenge  the  insult  to  the  national  flag. 

Such  a  display  of  bunting  in  Boston  was  never  seen  before. 
Across  every  street,  at  the  mastheads  of  vessels  lying  in  the  harbor, 
in  the  horse-cars  and  on  express-wagons,  and  upon  private  houses 
could  be  seen  the  American  flag  floating  in  the  breeze ;  and,  in 
deed,  every  opportunity  was  taken  to  give  expression  to  the  prevail 
ing  sentiment  by  displaying  the  national  emblem. 

On  the  1 4th  of  April  Fort  Sumter  surrendered.  On  the  i5th  a 
telegram  was  received  by  Governor  Andrew  to  forward  two  regi 
ments,  and  on  the  same  day  the  following  communication  was  sent 
to  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

(xi) 


xii  ORGANIZATION. 

BOSTON,  April  15,  1861. 
To  HON.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War  : 

SIR:  I  have  received  telegrams  from  yourself  and  Brigadier-General  Thomas, 
admonishing  me  of  a  coming  requisition  for  twenty  companies  of  sixty-four  pri 
vates  each;  and  I  have  caused  orders  to  be  distributed  to  bring  the  men  into 
Boston  before  to-morrow  night,  and  to  await  orders.  Allow  me  to  urge  the  issue 
of  an  order  to  the  Springfield  (Mass.)  Armory,  to  double  the  production  of  arms 
at  once,  and  to  push  the  work  to  the  utmost.  If  any  aid  by  way  of  money  or 
credit  is  needed  from  Massachusetts,  I  hope  to  be  at  once  apprised.  An  extra 
session  of  our  General  Court  can  be  called  immediately,  if  need  be;  and,  if  called, 
it  will  respond  to  any  demand  of  patriotism. 

And  I  beg  you  would  permit,  in  addition  to  suggesting  the  utmost  activity  at 
the  Springfield  Armory,  to  urge  that  the  armory  at  Harper's  Ferry  be  discon 
tinued,  and  its  tools,  machinery,  and  works  be  transferred  elsewhere,  or  else  that 
it  be  rigidly  guarded  against  seizure,  of  the  danger  of  which  I  have  some  premo 
nitions.  If  any  more  troops  will  certainly  be  needed  from  Massachusetts,  please 
signify  it  at  once,  since  I  should  prefer  receiving  special  volunteers  for  active  militia 
to  detailing  any  more  of  our  present  active  militia,  especially  as  many  most  ef 
ficient  gentlemen  would  like  to  raise  companies  or  regiments,  as  the  case  may  be, 
and  can  receive  enlistments  of  men  who  are  very  ready  to  serve. 

Allow  me  also  to  suggest  that  our  forts  in  Boston  Harbor  are  entirely  un 
manned.  If  authorized,  I  would  put  a  regiment  into  the  forts  at  any  time. 

Two  of  my  staff  spent  last  Saturday  in  making  experiments  of  the  most  satisfac 
tory  character  with  Shenkle's  new  invention  in  projectiles;  and  so  extraordinary 
was  the  firing  that  I  have  directed  eighteen  guns  to  be  rifled,  and  projectiles  to  be 
made.  May  I  commend  this  invention  to  the  examination  of  the  United  States 
Government? 

I  am  happy  to  add  that  I  find  the  amplest  proof  of  a  warm  devotion  to  the 
country's  cause  on  every  hand  to-day.  Our  people  are  alive. 

Yours, 

JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

On  the  morning  of  the  i6th,  companies  of  the  departing  regi 
ments  began  to  arrive  in  Boston.  The  fife  and  the  drum  which  were 
heard  in  our  streets  continued  daily,  for  four  years,  to  sound  the 
stirring  notes  of  martial  music. 

The  igth  of  April,  which  is  one  of  the  days  sacred  to  American 
history,  on  account  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  this  year  received  an 
additional  interest  from  the  events  that  were  transpiring.  It  was 
celebrated  by  the  ringing  of  bells,  flag-raisings  and  speeches,  a  drill 
on  Boston  Common  by  one  of  the  artillery  companies,  and  at  noon 
by  the  firing  of  one  hundred  guns  in  honor  of  the  day. 


OKGA  yiZA  TIOX.  xiii 

While  the  people  were  thus  actively  engaged  in  celebrating  the 
day,  news  was  received  that  the  Sixth  Regiment  had  been  attacked 
in  the  streets  of  Baltimore.  The  most  intense  excitement  followed. 
Men  gathered  in  groups  about  the  streets,  while  crowds  surrounded 
the  bulletin  boards  of  the  newspapers  to  learn  the  particulars. 

If  anything  was  needed  to  arouse  the  patriotism  of  the  North,  it 
had  now  occurred.  Public  meetings  were  held  in  various  parts  of 
the  city.  Merchants,  lawyers,  physicians,  and  members  of  other 
professions  met,  and  offers  of  service  and  money  were  proffered 
for  the  use  of  the  State.  Large  loans  were  generously  offered  by  the 
Boston  banks  and  by  the  banks  of  other  cities,  for  the  State's  imme 
diate  use,  trusting  to  the  honor  of  the  Legislature  to  reimburse  them, 
when  it  met.  Numerous  offers  of  money  were  made  to  the  Gov 
ernor  by  private  individuals,  as  aid  to  soldiers'  families.  Nor  were 
women  lagging  behind  the  men  in  enthusiasm.  Rich  and  poor, 
high  and  low,  all  offered  their  services  for  the  preparation  of  band 
ages  and  lint,  the  making  of  garments,  attendance  in  hospitals,  or 
any  other  service  compatible  with  their  sex. 

Business  seemed,  for  the  time,  to  be  forgotten  in  the  excitement. 
The  minds  of  men  were  too  much  disturbed  to  give  proper  attention 
to  other  matters.     Only  one  subject  possessed  the  public  mind,  — 
to  protect  the  government  from  the  clutches  of  traitorous  hands. 

It  was  under  the  influence  of  these  patriotic  demonstrations,  as 
exhibited  in  all  the  cities  and  towns  of  Massachusetts  during  the  first 
months  of  the  war,  that  our  regiment  was  enrolled.  Many  of  the 
young  men  who  left  lucrative  positions  were  guaranteed  them  on 
their  return,  by  their  employers.  The  generous  impulses  of  all  were 
awakened  by  the  danger  that  threatened  the  country. 

The  first  four  companies,  A,  B,  C,  and  D,  were  known  as  the 
Fourth  Battalion  of  Rifles,  and  were  raised  in  Boston. 

On  the  2ist  of  September,  1821,  Governor  John  Brooks,  on  the 
petition  of  John  S.  Tyler  and  others,  authorized  the  formation  of  a 
military  company  in  the  then  town  of  Boston,  and  this  company 
was  called  the  Boston  City  Greys,  subsequently  changed  to  the 
Boston  City  Guards,  by  which  name  it  was  known  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war.  It  passed  through  the  various  vicissitudes  of 


ORGANIZATION. 

military  companies  until  the  year  1860.  In  the  month  of  July  of 
that  year,  a  committee  consisting  of  James  A.  Fox,  W.  F.  Davis,  D. 
H.  Bradlee,  N.  S.  Dearborn,  and  A.  N.  Sampson  were  appointed  to 
nominate  a  captain  and  third  and  fourth  lieutenants  to  fill  vacancies 
caused  by  resignations. 

At  this  time  the  company  had  been  reduced  in  numbers  so  that  it 
was  felt  to  be  highly  important  that  a  man  should  be  selected  as  captain 
whose  reputation  as  an  officer  would  invite  young  men  to  enlist  under 
his  command.  The  "Boston  Light  Infantry  (Tigers),"  the  "New 
England  Guards,"  and  the  "  Boston  City  Guards  "  formed  a  part  of 
the  Second  Massachusetts  Militia  Regiment.  Boston  was  an  exception 
to  the  large  cities  of  the  country  in  not  having  a  regiment  of  its  own. 
The  Second  Regiment,  Massachusetts  militia,  was  commanded  by 
Col.  Robert  Cowdin,  and  consisted  of  only  seven  companies. 

Samuel  H.  Leonard  having  transferred  his  residence  from  Worces 
ter  to  Boston,  was  obliged  to  resign  his  commission  as  brigadier- 
general,  as  an  officer  could  not  hold  a  commission  outside  the  limits 
of  the  district  where  he  resided. 

He  was  an  officer  of  wide  reputation  as  one  of  the  most  skilful  and 
thorough  drill-masters  in  the  State.  It  had  long  been  a  scheme  of 
his  to  form  a  rifle  battalion  of  which  he  should  have  the  command. 
At  musters  and  parades  a  rifle  battalion  had  the  right  of  the  line, 
except  when  the  Boston  or  Salem  Cadets  were  present ;  hence  the 
particular  interest  in  a  rifle  battalion. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  Boston  City  Guards  waited  on 
General  Leonard  and  offered  him  the  captaincy  of  their  company. 
He  accepted  the  compliment  thus  offered,  upon  the  condition  that 
they  would  agree  to  enlist  a  second  company,  to  be  joined  with  the 
City  Guards,  thus  forming  a  battalion,  and  changing  the  arms  from 
muskets  to  rifles.  This  was  agreed  to,  and  General  Leonard  peti 
tioned  the  Governor  and  Council  to  set  off  the  City  Guards  from 
the  Second  Regiment  for  this  purpose,  and  authority  was  given  him 
to  form  a  rifle  battalion,  using  that  company  as  a  nucleus  thereof. 
The  City  Guards  was  called  Company  A  in  the  new  battalion,  and 
on  the  isth  of  December,  1860,  proceeded  to  an  election  of  officers, 
with  the  following  result : 


ORG  A  NIZA  TION.  XV 

Captain SAMUEL  H.  LEONARD. 

First  Lieutenant JAMES  A.  Fox. 

Second  Lieutenant  ....  WILLIAM  F.  DAVIS. 

Third  Lieutenant      ....  CHARLES  S.  CHANDLER. 

Fourth  Lieutenant    ....  GEORGE  H.  BUSH. 

Immediately  following  this  election,  privates  Thomas  J.  Little 
and  Augustus  N.  Sampson,  with  fifty-one  others,  petitioned  the 
Governor  and  Council  for  leave  to  form  a  new  company,  which  was 
subsequently  known  as  Company  B.  As  soon  as  a  sufficient  number 
of  men  had  been  enlisted,  an  election  of  officers  was  had,  resulting 
as  follows,  the  election  taking  place  on  the  2Qth  of  March,  1861  : 

Captain N.  WALTER  BATCHELDER. 

First  Lieutenant JOSEPH  S.  CARY. 

Second  Lieutenant  ....  DAVID  H.  BRADLEE.  • 

Third  Lieutenant      ....  JOHN  G.  HOVEY. 

Fourth  Lieutenant    ....  AUGUSTUS  N.  SAMPSON. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  Lieutenant  Bradlee  having  been  elected 
adjutant  of  the  battalion,  Horace  T.  Rockwell  was  elected  Fourth 
Lieutenant  and  Messrs.  Hovey  and  Sampson  were  each  promoted. 

While  this  work  was  going  on  John  Kurtz  and  others  were  en 
gaged  in  recruiting  a  third  company,  which  was  subsequently  known 
as  Company  C,  with  an  election  of  officers  which  occurred  on  the 
zgth  of  April,  1861,  as  follows: 

Captain JOHN  KURTZ. 

First  Lieutenant WILLIAM  H.  JACKSON. 

Second  Lieutenant   ....  WILLIAM  M.  CHASE. 

Third  Lieutenant      ....  JOSEPH  S.  COOK. 

Fourth  Lieutenant    ....  WALTER  H.  JUDSON. 

Company  D  was  organized  as  follows  : 

After  the  Mexican  War  a  military  company  was  formed  composed 
of  veterans  who  had  served  in  Massachusetts  regiments  during  that 


Xvi  ORGANIZATION. 

period.  The  company  took  the  name  "  Massachusetts  Volunteers," 
and  was  attached  to  the  First  Regiment  of  Infantry  M.V.M.,  as 
Company  L,  Captain  Ben:  Perley  Poore.  After  two  years  had 
passed,  it  was  found  necessary,  if  the  company  was  to  continue,  to 
change  its  by-laws  so  as  to  admit  to  membership  others  than  those 
who  had  served  in  that  war.  It  was  then  voted  to  take  men  who  had 
served  not  less  than  one  year  in  the  volunteer  militia  of  the  State ; 
at  the  same  time  changing  the  name  of  the  company  to  "  National 
Guard.'  In  the  spring  of  1854,  Augustine  Harlow  was  elected 
captain,  and  served  as  such  until  July,  1860,  when  he  resigned. 

April  15,  1 86 1,  he  was  requested  to  form  a  new  company,  and 
he  proceeded  at  once  to  do  so.  The  free  use  of  a  room  in  the 
Adams  House  was  granted  him  by  the  proprietors,  and  in  a  few  days 
the  required  number  of  names  was  obtained  for  organization,  which 
was  completed  by  the  election  of  the  following  officers  : 

Captain AUGUSTINE  HARLOW. 

First  Lieutenant SAMUEL  N.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

Second  Lieutenant  ....  WILLIAM  H.  GARY. 

Third  Lieutenant      ....  CHARLES  H.  HOVEY. 

Fourth  Lieutenant    ....  JAMES  H.  MAYO. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  in  raising  these  companies 
the  impetus  given  to  enlistments  by  the  startling  events  already  de 
scribed  made  it  quite  easy  to  obtain  all  the  men  needed  to  complete 
the  organizations  to  the  maximum  number  required.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  so  many  men  offered  to  enlist  that  it  was  decided  to  accept 
only  those  who  were  voted  in  and  who  were  willing  to  pay  $12.50. 
This  sum,  added  to  moneys  received  by  subscription,  was  expended 
in  the  purchase  of  uniforms,  each  man  being  measured  to  ensure 
their  fitting.  The  jacket  was  tight-fitting,  with  a  short  skirt.  The 
shoulder-knots  and  trimmings  were  red,  and  the  uniform  gray.  The 
cap  was  gray  trimmed  with  scarlet  and  surmounted  with  a  pompon. 
It  made  a  handsome,  serviceable  uniform,  and  gave  a  very  effective 
appearance  to  the  battalion. 

As  some  time  elapsed  before  the  uniforms  were  finished,  we  were 


ORGANIZATION.  Xvii 

daily  drilled  in  citizen's  clothes  at  the  armory,  then  at  344  Washing 
ton  Street,  but  now  (1893)  576.  We  were  taken  out  on  the  streets 
every  day  and  taught  to  march  in  step,  to  the  no  small  amusement 
of  boys  who  gathered  about  to  watch  our  transformation  from  raw 
recruits  to  soldiers.  The  people,  however,  were  in  earnest,  and 
every  encouragement  was  offered  to  young  men  to  enlist.  At  this 
time  every  man  was  looked  upon  as  a  hero  who  enlisted. 

The  armory  at  344  Washington  Street  being  too  small  to  accom 
modate  so  large  a  number  of  men,  Nassau  Hall,  corner  of  Washing 
ton  and  Common  Streets,  was  procured,  and  our  effects  transferred 
to  that  building.  Here  we  found  a  commodious  hall  well  fitted  for 
drilling,  and  hours  were  spent  each  day  by  squads  of  raw  recruits  in 
attempting  to  order  arms  in  unison.  It  seemed  so  easy  a  thing  to 
do  when  the  order  was  given,  that  we  were  at  a  loss  to  understand 
why  each  gun  should  fall  at  a  separate  moment,  making  a  clatter 
like  the  rattle  of  a  drum,  sorely  trying  the  patience  of  our  drill- 
masters.  "  Now,  the  next  time  I  give  an  order  I  want  you  to  follow 
my  count.  '  Shoulder  arms  !  one,  two,  three  !  '  That's  better." 
"Present  arms  !  one,  two."  Then  it  was,  "Forward,  march!  one, 
two ;  one,  two,  halt!  "  "  About/«r<?/  Forward,  march  !  one,  two  ; 
one,  two."  "  Mark  time,  march  !  one,  two  ;  one,  two,  halt !  " 

It  seemed  extraordinary  that  it  took  so  much  time  in  learning  to 
do  these  simple  things  together,  yet  it  took  days  and  days  before  we 
could  make  a  creditable  appearance  in  public.  It  seemed  very  odd 
to  us,  that,  having  acquired  a  reasonable  degree  of  proficiency  under 
one  officer,  we  could  do  nothing  but  bungle  under  the  commands  of 
another,  until  we  realized  how  rare  was  a  drill-master  who  could 
infuse  into  men  the  precision  necessary  for  good  soldiers. 

As  soon  as  we  acquired  skill  enough  to  "  order  arms  "  together,  we 
longed  for  the  time  when  we  could  march  through  the  streets  in  our 
uniforms.  With  a  month's  continuous  daily  work,  we  naturally  felt 
that  we  would  make  a  fine  appearance  as  we  paraded  through  the 
streets.  Just  prior  to  the  war  the  people  of  Boston  had  an  opportu 
nity  of  witnessing  the  wonderful  skill  exhibited  by  Ellsworth's 
zouaves.  The  remarkable  exactness  and  concert  of  their  every 
movement  was  never  excelled  by  any  body  of  men,  and  excited  a 


XVlii  ORGANIZATION. 

spirit  of  emulation  among  officers  and  soldiers  in  the  vicinity  of 
Boston.  Some  of  us  whose  heads  were  easily  turned  by  our  small 
success  began  to  think  we  had  acquired  a  pretty  good  degree  of 
excellence  in  the  manual  of  arms. 

At  last  an  order  was  received  for  us  to  take  charge  of  Fort  Inde 
pendence.  We  had  been  armed  with  the  "  Winsor  "  rifle,  a  heavy, 
bungling  arm  to  which  was  attached  a  sabre  bayonet,  so  extraordinary 
in  appearance  as  to  give  to  another  company,  commanded  by  Cap 
tain  Dodd,  and  armed  with  the  same  rifle,  the  name  of "  Dodd's 
carvers."  When  the  bayonet  was  affixed  it  certainly  did  suggest  the 
sanguinary  operation  of  carving. 

COMPANY  E. 

Company  E,  known  as  the  Roxbury  Rifles,  was  organized  about 
the  25th  of  April,  1861,  by  the  election  of  Dennis  S.  Bartlett  as  cap 
tain,  Charles  R.  M.  Pratt  as  first  lieutenant,  and  Joseph  Colburn  as 
second  lieutenant.  After  its  organization,  the  company  was  quar 
tered  in  Bacon's  Hall,  Roxbury,  the  boys  obtaining  their  meals  at  a 
restaurant  near  by.  From  this  time  on  until  Sunday,  the  1 2th  of 
May,  the  company  was  daily  drilled  in  citizen's  clothes.  On  that 
day  the  company  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  new  uniforms  fur 
nished  by  the  State,  and  attended  divine  service  at  the  Dudley- 
street  Baptist  church,  at  completion  of  which  service  each  man  was 
presented  with  a  Testament. 

Drilling  was  continued  daily  without  interruption  until  the  company 
joined  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  Rifles,  and  with  it  went  to  Fort  Inde 
pendence. 

On  the  25th  of  May  the  five  companies,  with  knapsacks,  blankets, 
etc.,  marched  down  State  Street  to  the  wharf,  where  they  took  the 
steamer  "Nelly  Baker  "  for  the  fort,  and  where  they  arrived  in  due 
time. 

It  was  a  joyous  day,  though  cloudy.  We  were  puffed  up  with  pride 
and  importance  at  our  new  responsibility  and  the  knowledge  that  we 
were  to  relieve  the  New  England  Guards,  who  had  been  garrisoning 
the  fort  for  a  fortnight.  The  New  England  Guards  was  one  of  the 
crack  organizations  of  Massachusetts,  of  which  the  citizens  of  Bos- 


ORGANIZATION.  xix 

ton  were  justly  proud.  It  subsequently  became  the  nucleus  of  the 
Twenty-fourth  Regiment,  that  left  Massachusetts  for  the  seat  of  war 
December  9,  1861,  and  afterward  made  a  glorious  record. 

As  we  marched  into  the  fort,  that  battalion  was  drawn  up  in  line 
to  receive  us.  As  we  watched  with  admiration  the  precision  and 
skill  with  which  they  performed  their  movements,  we  shed  a  big  lot 
of  conceit. 

The  duties  of  a  soldier  began  immediately  on  their  departure. 
We  were  in  possession  of  a  fortification  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
responsibilities  seemed  immense.  We  were  to  guard  it,  and  see  that 
it  was  not  stolen  or  captured  by  the  enemy. 

A  detail  was  made  from  each  company  for  guard  duty,  and  the 
writer  began  at  once  the  tremendous  duties  of  a  soldier.  Being 
placed  on  the  extreme  southern  point  of  the  island,  nearest  the 
enemy,  he  was  cautioned  to  watch  carefully,  that  the  enemy  might 
not  come  up  the  harbor  without  warning  being  given  of  his  ap 
proach.  There  seemed  nothing  ridiculous  in  all  this  ;  the  caution 
was  given  and  received  in  all  earnestness.  These  instructions  were 
the  first  and,  so  far  as  can  be  recalled,  the  only  ones  he  ever  re 
ceived,  and  they  made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind.  We  often 
laughed  afterwards  as  we  reflected  on  the  difference  between  this 
and  the  reality,  though  it  was  real  enough  to  us  then.  Not  a  wink 
did  some  of  us  sleep  that  night.  The  responsibility  was  too  great 
for  sleep. 

Morning  came  at  last,  beautiful  and  bright,  with  the  fort  still  safe. 
As  the  men  turned  out  of  their  quarters,  in  the  morning  air,  to  fold 
their  bright  red  blankets,  it  was  indeed  a  picturesque  sight.  The 
battalion  companies  were  quartered  in  the  fort,  while  the  Roxbury 
Rifles  were  quartered  in  barracks  outside. 

During  our  stay  at  the  fort,  Sundays  were  visiting  days,  and  the 
duties  light,  so  we  had  ample  time  to  devote  to  the  friends  who  came 
to  see  us  Visitors  were  also  admitted  on  other  days  of  the  week  ; 
but  they  were  not  allowed  to  interfere  with  our  duties.  We  drilled 
seven  hours  each  day  during  the  week,  besides  guard-mounting  and 
dress  parade. 

Major  Leonard,  who  was  in  command  of  the  battalion,  was  known 


xx  ORGANIZATION. 

long  before  he  became  a  brigadier-general  in  the  State  militia  by 
his  superior  qualifications  as  a  drill-master,  and  he  was  possessed 
with  the  determination  to  show  what  he  could  do  with  raw  recruits. 

After  dress  parade  our  work  was  done  for  the  day,  except  the 
roll-call  at  tattoo,  when  we  were  obliged  to  fall  in  line  and  answer 
to  our  nam/is.  We  then  had  a  half- hour  to  complete  our  arrange 
ments  for  the  night,  when  "  taps  "  were  sounded  for  the  lights  to  be 
put  out,  which  was  a  signal  for  us  to  go  to  sleep.  Sleep  rarely  came 
before  midnight,  however,  owing  to  the  noise  which  began  the 
moment  the  lights  were  extinguished.  It  frequently  happened  that 
the  "  Officer  of  the  day  "  would  interrupt  the  noise  by  telling  us  to 
"Go  to  sleep  '.  "  which  had  the  very  opposite  effect.  We  had  great 
larks  in  those  days,  and  played  all  the  pranks  in  the  calendar.  Some 
of  the  boys  whose  quarters  adjoined  the  sally-port  would  listen  at 
the  nearest  casemate  to  hear  the  countersign  repeated  as  some  one, 
passing  in  or  out  of  the  fort,  would  give  it  to  the  sentinel,  when  a 
mock  "grand  rounds"  would  be  organized  and  each  post  visited, 
the  guard  being  scolded  for  some  imaginary  neglect,  and  ordered  to 
report  to  his  captain  in  the  morning.  The  hours  of  the  night  were 
called  by  the  sentinel  on  each  post  as  he  heard  the  bells  striking  in 
the  city,  adding  "  All's  well !  "  The  guard  on  the  ramparts  of  the 
fort  frequently,  sticking  his  head  in  one  of  the  chimneys,  would  yell, 
"  And  the  wind  north-east,  and  it  blows  like  h — 1  !  "  which,  of  course, 
would  wake  up  every  man  in  the  room,  bringing  the  officer  of  the 
guard  to  the  quarters  to  quell  the  disturbance.  The  guard,  by  means 
of  the  chimney,  would  warn  the  occupants  of  the  officer's  approach, 
whereupon  he  was  sure  to  be  greeted  with  a  loud  and  continuous 
snore ;  the  guard  in  the  meantime  stealing  along  to  the  other  side 
of  the  ramparts,  a  safe  distance  from  the  confusion. 

Until  the  2pth  of  June  we  lived  well,  having  our  own  cook,  plenty 
to  eat,  and  a  ration  of  beer  served  us  each  day.  It  was  the  custom 
to  detail  a  man  from  each  mess  to  draw  the  allowance  of  food,  and 
whoever  possessed  ability  to  get  the  greatest  quantity  of  food  for  the 
smallest  number  of  men  was  sure  to  receive  a  large  amount  of  praise 
and  popularity.  It  was  a  talent  more  highly  appreciated  than  any 
other  accomplishment. 


ORGANIZATION.  xxi 

Each  morning  we  were  awakened  by  the  veteran  drummer,  "  Dan 
Simpson,"  and  "  Si  Smith,"  the  fifer.  "  Old  Si,"  as  we  called  him, 
looked  as  though  he  was  left  over  from  the  crusades,  so  thin  and 
worn  with  age  he  appeared.  Both  of  these  veterans  could  date  their 
service  back  to  the  War  of  1812.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  morning 
they  would  come  out  to  the  sally-port,  and  after  wrangling  a  bit  (for 
it  should  be  known  that  the  lapse  of  time  had  not  improved  their 
tempers)  they  would  sound  the  reveille  which  turned  us  out  to 
answer  to  roll-call.  Smith  weighed  about  seventy-five  pounds,  though 
he  didn't  look  it.  His  coat-sleeve,  which  seemed  no  larger  round 
than  a  baby's  arm,  was  covered  with  service  stripes  from  wrist  to 
shoulder.  In  spite  of  his  attenuated  figure,  he  managed  to  get  wind  . 
enough  to  make  his  old  fife  sound  as  clear  as  a  bell.  "  Good  morn 
ing,  Si  !  "  would  be  heard  as  the  boys  turned  out.  "  How's  your 
old  friend,  Miles  Standish?" 

In  addition  to  these  venerable  relics  from  "  Ye  olden  time  "  we 
had  four  musicians  from  the  "  Germania  Band,"  who  provided  us 
with  music  at  guard  mounting  and  at  dress  parade. 

One  of  the  features  of  the  day's  work  was  "  dress  parade,"  at 
sunset;  at  which  time  we  turned  out  in  full  uniform  to  take  our  posi 
tion  in  line.  It  was  the  custom,  during  this  ceremony,  to  lower  the 
flag  on  the  fort,  the  band  playing  while  it  was  being  done.  One  of 
the  airs  which  the  band  played  was  from  the  "  opera  of  Grenada." 
To  this  air  the  boys  fitted  the  following  words  :  "  Corporal  of  the 
guard,  corporal  of  the  guard,  corporal  of  the  guard,  post  eight." 
This  never  lost  its  popularity  with  us.  It  was  carried  into  service  by 
our  regimental  band,  and  was  frequently  played  by  it,  always  awak 
ening  pleasant  recollections  of  our  service  at  the  fort.  After  the 
band  was  discharged,  which  occurred  early  in  September,  1862,  we 
heard  it  no  more  until  our  arrival  home. 

Thus  passed  the  days  until  the  2gih  of  June,  when  the  State  sent 
to  the  fort  five  more  companies :  two  from  Marlboro',  one  from 
Natick,  one  from  Westboro',  and  one  from  Stoneham. 

The  addition  of  these  companies  made  no  difference  in  our  drill 
ing,  which  was  pursued  relentlessly. 

We  drifted  along  until  the  "  Fourth  of  July"  without  excitement, 


xxii  ORGANIZATION. 

except  that  which  was  provided  us  by  our  friends  on  visiting  days. 
Formerly  it  was  the  custom  of  the  city  authorities  of  Boston  to  cel 
ebrate  the  "  Fourth  "  by  an  annual  parade  of  the  city  government. 
Our  services  were  offered  and  accepted  as  escort,  in  company  with 
the  "  Tigers  "  and  the  "  New  England  Guards,"  and  we  looked  for 
ward  with  anticipations  of  pleasure  and  pride  at  the  opportunity, 
thus  afforded,  of  showing  the  result  of  our  work. 

We  were  up  early  the  morning  of  the  "  Fourth  "  brushing  clothes, 
blacking  boots,  and  making  other  preparations  for  the  day's  jubilee. 
We  were  well  tanned  by  constant  exposure  to  the  sun,  giving 
appearance  of  health  and  vigor,  our  uniforms  fitting  perfectly,  with 
the  addition  of  white  collars,  and  our  guns  and  bayonets  in  excellent 
order,  so  that  we  made  a  very  satisfactory  appearance.  As  we  stood 
in  line  inside  the  fort,  we  all  felt  how  much  was  at  stake  in  compet 
ing  with  the  two  battalions  with  whom  we  were  to  parade.  We 
were  told  to  eat  a  hearty  breakfast,  for  we  had  a  hard  day's  work 
before  us ;  but  what  a  breakfast  that  was,  and  what  murmurs  of  in 
dignation  were  expressed  as  we  flung  the  mouldy  toast  and  the  mild 
dilution  of  coffee  at  the  cook-room  !  It  was  too  unsavory  for  us,  so 
we  went  without  it,  though  the  time  came,  months  after,  when  we 
wished  that  we  might  have  some  of  that  same  toast. 

We  were  escorted  to  the  boat  by  the  other  companies  of  the  regi 
ment,  who  expressed  their  generous  wishes  for  our  success.  They 
were  quite  as  anxious  for  our  credit  as  we  were,  and  the  hearty 
cheers  that  were  given  as  the  boat  left  the  wharf  testified  the  good 
feeling  that  existed,  and  which  continued  during  the  whole  three 
years  of  our  service,  and  indeed  has  never  ceased  to  exist. 

Upon  our  arrival  in  Boston  it  became  known  that  we  had  come 
to  town  without  a  breakfast,  and  while  halting  in  front  of  the  Parker 
House  kind  friends  supplied  the  deficiency.  All  along  the  route  of 
seven  miles  we  were  greeted  with  demonstrations  of  great  kindness 
and  hospitality.  It  was  a  day  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  enthusi 
asm  of  the  people  excited  us  to  do  our  best,  and  we  never  did  better. 
Our  two  months  of  constant  daily  drilling  enabled  us  to  make  a  very 
creditable  appearance.  The  enthusiasm  with  which  we  were  every 
where  greeted  was  due  to  the  fact  that  we  were  part  of  a  regiment 


ORGANIZATION.  XXlii 

soon  to  leave  for  the  seat  of  war ;  for  at  that  time  the  patriotic  feel 
ing  was  at  its  whitest  heat.  It  was  a  hot  day,  the  thermometer  at 
104 ;  but  our  daily  work  out  of  doors  enabled  us  to  make  the  march 
with  the  loss  of  only  one  or  two  men,  while  the  other  battalions 
suffered  much  more  than  we  did  from  the  intense  heat. 

After  the  parade  we  were  furloughed  until  the  following  morning, 
when  the  battalion  returned  to  the  fort  to  meet  the  kindly  greeting 
of  the  companies  who  were  already  aware  of  the  success  achieved 
by  the  five  companies,  through  the  newspapers,  which  were  extrava 
gant  in  their  words  of  praise. 

While  the  battalion  companies,  so  called,  were  doing  escort  duty 
for  the  city  of  Boston,  Company  E,  which  went  to  the  city  in  the 
same  boat,  was  entertaining  the  people  of  Roxbury  with  an  exhibi 
tion  of  its  proficiency.  The  members  were  received  with  the  same 
demonstrations  of  enthusiasm  as  greeted  the  battalion,  and  were 
given  a  dinner  at  the  Norfolk  House. 

We  were  young  boys  then,  and  these  events  seemed  great  in  our 
lives,  though  what  followed  was  far  greater  in  importance  and  mag 
nitude. 

The  remaining  companies  of  the  regiment  were  organized  as 
follows  : 

COMPANY  F. 

Company  F  had  the  honor  of  being  the  oldest  chartered  company 
in  the  regiment.  It  was  organized  in  1819  as  the  Marlboro'  Rifles, 
and  continued  its  organization  without  interruption  until  it  became 
a  part  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment.  During  all  this  time  its  armory 
was  located  in  the  town  of  Marlboro'. 

For  several  years  prior  to  1861  it  was  known  as  Company  A, 
First  Battalion  of  Rifles,  the  other  companies  being  Company  B 
from  Sudbury  and  Company  C  from  Natick ;  the  latter  being  as 
signed  to  the  Thirteenth  and  known  as  Company  H.  The  battalion 
was  commanded  by  Major  Ephraim  Moore,  of  Sudbury.  Major 
Moore  died  in  March,  1861,  and  was  succeeded  by  Captain  Henry 
Whitcomb,  of  the  Marlboro'  Rifles,  who  was  elected  major  of  the 
battalion. 


ORGANIZATION. 

On  the  25th  of  June  the  First  Battalion  of  Rifles  was  ordered  to 
Fort  Independence. 

The  Sudbury  Company  was  disbanded. 

The  officers  of  the  Marlboro'  Company,  which  became  Company 
F,  were  : 

Captain ABEL  H.  POPE. 

First  Lieutenant ......  JOHN  T.  WHITTIER. 

Second  Lieutenant CHARLES  F.  MORSE. 

Fourth  Lieutenant DONALD  Ross. 

COMPANY  G. 

In  the  early  days  of  April  the  citizens  of  Stoneham  took  measures 
for  raising  a  company,  and  by  the  seventeenth  of  that  month  it  was 
recruited  to  its  full  number.  J.  Parker  Gould  was  chosen  to  the 
captaincy,  which  he  retained  until  the  departure  of  the  regiment  to 
the  seat  of  war,  when  he  was  appointed  major  in  the  regiment.  Eben 
W.  Fiske  was  commissioned  captain  in  his  place.  Although  the 
company  was  ready  thus  early,  such  was  the  eagerness  of  the  people 
to  spring  to  their  country's  defence,  that  the  different  companies 
could  not  be  accepted  as  fast  as  they  were  offered,  and  it  was  not 
until  the  25th  of  June  that  it  was  ordered  into  service  at  Fort  Inde 
pendence. 

During  the  time  it  was  waiting  to  join  some  regiment  the  town  of 
Stoneham  liberally  contributed  to  its  support,  appropriating  nearly 
four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  for  that  purpose.  A  uniform  was 
also  presented  to  each  man  at  a  cost  of  twelve  dollars,  and  a  full  set 
of  equipments  to  each  of  the  officers,  by  the  citizens. 

On  its  departure  for  Fort  Independence  hundreds  of  citizens 
volunteered  as  escort. 

COMPANY  H. 

In  the  early  part  of  1859  the  young  men  of  Natick  formed  an 
independent  company,  with  Henry  Wilson,  who  had  been  a  brigadier- 
general  in  the  militia,  as  captain  and  instructor.  Captain  Wilson's 
senatorial  duties  calling  him  to  Washington  in  December  of  that 


ORGANIZA  TIOX.  XX  v 

year,  he  was  succeeded  by  Lieut.  Charles  Bigelow,  who  was  subse 
quently  chosen  as  captain.  The  company  was  regularly  drilled  until 
the  summer  of  1860,  when  a  charter  was  granted  by  the  State,  where 
upon  it  was  assigned  to  the  First  Battalion  of  Rifles  as  Company  C. 
It  attended  the  annual  muster  at  Chelmsford  in  September  of  that 
year,  and  took  part  in  the  parade  of  the  militia,  on  Boston  Com 
mon,  in  October  following,  in  honor  of  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
When  the  call  of  Governor  Andrew  was  made  in  the  spring  of  '61, 
it  offered  its  services  for  three  years,  and  on  the  25th  of  June  went 
to  Fort  Independence  with  the  First  Battalion  of  Rifles.  It  was 
commanded  by  Perry  D.  Chamberlain,  with  Frank  Z.  Jenks  as  first 
lieutenant,  and  William  H.  Brown  as  second  lieutenant.  It  became 
Company  H  of  the  Thirteenth,  with  William  L.  Clark  as  captain. 

COMPANY  I. 

In  response  to  the  call  of  Governor  Andrew,  Messrs.  Moses  P. 
Palmer,  William  Barnes,  David  L.  Brown,  Samuel  D.  Witt,  Alfred  G. 
Howe,  Frank  Stetson,  and  others,  proceeded  to  form  a  second  com 
pany  in  Marlboro',  and  enlistment  papers  were  procured  from  the 
State  for  that  purpose.  In  a  few  days  the  signatures  of  ninety-eight 
of  the  best  young  men  in  Marlboro1  and  vicinity  were  obtained, 
and  on  the  6th  of  May  the  company  was  organized  by  the  choice 
of  the  following  officers  : 

Captain MOSES  P.  PALMER. 

First  Lieutenant DAVID  L.  BROWN. 

Second  Lieutenant ALFRED  G.  HOWE. 

Third  Lieutenant SAMUEL  D.  Wirr. 

Fourth  Lieutenant SAMUEL  W.  FAY. 

On  the  loth  of  May  the  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose 
reported  a  constitution  and  by-laws,  which  were  unanimously 
adopted.  The  preamble  was  as  follows  : 

We  who  have  enrolled  our  names  upon  the  volunteer  militia  enlistment  roll  of 
Massachusetts,  and  have  organized  ourselves  into  a  company  of  riflemen  agreeably 
to  the  laws  of  the  State,  say,  one  and  all,  that  whereas  a  certain  portion  of  our 


xxvi  ORGANIZATION. 

countrymen  have  rebelled  and  have  taken  up  arms  against  our  constitutional 
government  and  have  refused  to  obey  its  just  laws,  under  which  they,  as  well  as 
we,  have  enjoyed  so  many  blessings,  that  we  have  so  acted  because  we  fully  be 
lieve  it  to  be  our  duty,  which  we  owe  to  our  country,  to  humanity,  and  to  God; 
and  we  further  say  that  we  pledge  our  fortunes  and  our  sacred  honor  to  help 
maintain  and  defend  the  flag  of  our  glorious  Union  from  traitors  at  home  or  foes 
from  abroad;  and  we  do  agree  to  do  and  submit  to  such  orders,  rules,  and  regula 
tions  as  the  law  requires,  and  such  as  shall  be  adopted  by  the  company  from  time 
to  time. 

On  the  20th  of  May  the  company  voted  unanimously  to  offer  their 
services  to  the  United  States  for  three  years  or  during  the  war. 

The  town  of  Marlboro'  furnished  all  the  members  of  the  company 
with  a  good  gray  uniform,  and  Hollis  Loring,  Esq.,  gave  the  com 
pany  the  use  of  a  hall  in  the  Exchange  Building,  free  of  all  charge. 

The  months  of  May  and  June  were  spent  in  drilling  and  preparing 
for  service. 

The  company  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Battalion  of  Riflemen, 
but  shortly  after  was  ordered  to  report  for  duty  at  Fort  Indepen 
dence,  which  it  did  on  the  25th  of  June,  and  became  Company  I,  of 
the  Thirteenth. 

COMPANY  K. 

Company  K  was  raised  in  Westboro',  and  was  known  as  the 
Westboro'  Rifle  Company. 

On  the  1 7th  of  April,  1861,  a  warrant  was  issued  by  G.  B.  San- 
born,  B.  B.  Nourse,  and  S.  B.  Howe,  selectmen  of  the  town,  calling 
for  a  town  meeting  to  be  held  on  the  25th  of  the  same  month,  for 
the  appropriation  of  money  to  be  expended  for  the  raising  of  a  mil 
itary  company  in  the  town.  In  accordance  with  this  call  the  meet 
ing  was  held,  and  T.  A.  Smith,  C.  P.  Winslow,  J.  F.  B.  Marshall, 
Benjamin  Boynton,  and  John  Bowes  were  chosen  a  committee  to 
consider  the  matter  of  raising  a  company  and  to  report  the  amount 
necessary  to  defray  the  expenses  thereof;  whereupon  they  presented 
the  following  resolutions  : 

Resolved,  That  the  town  appropriate  five  thousand  dollars,  to  be  expended  in 
the  purchase  of  uniforms,  pay  of  men  while  drilling,  and  for  pay  in  addition  to 
the  amount  paid  by  the  Government,  when  called  into  active  service. 


ORGANIZATION.  XXVii 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  chosen,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  attend 
to  the  expenditure  and  disbursement  of  all  moneys  hereby  appropriated;  and  no 
bills  shall  be  contracted  for  or  paid  without  the  approbation  and  approval  of  said 
committee. 

These  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted,  and  an  appropria 
tion  of  five  thousand  dollars  made  in  accordance  therewith. 

A  committee,  consisting  of  G.  B.  Sanborn,  B.  B.  Nourse,  and  S. 
B.  Howe,  selectmen,  and  J.  F.  B.  Marshall  and  Patrick  Casey,  was 
then  appointed  and  empowered  to  raise  a  company.  This  commit 
tee  organized  by  the  choice  of  B.  B.  Nourse  as  chairman  and  J.  F. 
B.  Marshall  as  secretary. 

The  work  of  recruiting  was  begun  at  once,  and  by  the  zgth  of 
April  a  list  of  seventy-nine  names  was  obtained,  when  a  petition  was 
presented  to  the  Governor  and  Council  asking  for  a  charter  for  a 
company,  to  be  called  the  Westboro'  Rifle  Company,  and  the  same 
was  granted.  Before  going  into  camp,  information  was  received 
that  the  Government  would  not  accept  any  more  volunteers  for 
three  months'  service.  The  company  was  then  reorganized  with  a 
view  to  enlisting  for  three  years.  By  this  change  the  company  lost 
about  half  its  number,  but  from  day  to  day  recruits  were  added,  so 
that  when  the  time  arrived  for  its  departure  it  had  one  hundred  and 
one  men,  classified  as  follows :  Westboro'  furnished  fifty-six  men ; 
Southboro',  eighteen ;  Upton,  nine  ;  Shrewsbury,  nine  ;  Hopkinton, 
eight ;  and  Northboro',  one. 

The  work  of  drilling  was  carried  on  daily,  and  marches  made  to 
surrounding  towns,  where  the  company  was  entertained  by  sump 
tuous  dinners  and  patriotic  speeches. 

In  the  meantime  the  work  of  preparing  uniforms  was  undertaken 
by  the  women. 

On  the  26th  of  April,  the  day  following  the  town  meeting,  another 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Town  Hall  to  organize  a  "  Soldiers'  Sew 
ing  Society."  After  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cummings  of  the 
Unitarian  Church,  Mr.  Marshall  explained  the  objects  of  the  meet 
ing,  whereupon  it  was  voted  to  organize  the  society  by  the  choice 
of  Mrs.  E.  M.  Phillips  as  president  and  Miss  J.  M.  Marshall  as 
secretary.  Mrs.  J.  F.  B.  Marshall,  Mrs.  S.  B.  Lakin,  Mrs.  A.  N. 


XXviii  ORGANIZATION. 

Arnold,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Fayerweather,  and  Mrs.  Salmon  Comstock  were 
chosen  directors. 

In  accordance  with  a  notice  read  in  all  the  churches  on  the  pre 
vious  Sunday,  two  hundred  ladies  with  needles,  thimbles,  etc., 
met  in  the  Town  Hall  Tuesday  morning,  April  30,  and  began  the 
work  of  making  garments,  and  in  a  few  hours  they  had  made  four 
dozen  flannel  shirts  and  four  dozen  pairs  of  drawers,  which  were 
immediately  distributed. 

As  it  was  important  that  the  company  be  provided  with  uniforms, 
the  ladies  of  this  society  devoted  their  energies  to  the  accomplish 
ment  of  this  task,  and  by  the  2oth  of  June  the  work  was  completed. 
In  addition  to  the  uniform,  each  man  was  provided  with  a  fatigue- 
suit,  havelock,  thread -bag,  towels,  handkerchief,  soap,  and  comb. 

Calvin  Chamberlain,  a  resident  of  California,  a  native  of  West- 
boro',  showed  his  interest  in  the  company's  welfare  by  presenting 
each  member  with  a  dagger,  while  the  Hon.  William  Knowlton  pro 
vided  each  man  with  a  drinking-tube.  It  reported  at  Fort  Inde 
pendence,  under  the  command  of  the  following  officers  : 

Captain Rev.  WILLIAM  P.  BLACKMER. 

First  Lieutenant ....  CHARLES  P.  WINSLOW. 

Second  Lieutenant  .     .     .  ETHAN  BULLARD. 

Third  Lieutenant     .     .     .  JOHN  W.  SANDERSON. 

Fourth  Lieutenant   .     .     .  AHNER  R.  GREENWOOD. 

On  the  1 6th  of  July  the  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  for  three  years,  and  on  the  29th  of  the  same  month  it 
left  Fort  Independence  for  the  seat  of  war. 


DEPARTURE. 


A  N  interesting  fact  connected  with  the  flags  carried  by  the  regi- 
**  ment  ought  not  to  be  omitted.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war 
the  firm  of  Hogg,  Brown,  &  Taylor  were  doing  business  in  Boston. 
Like  other  firms  it  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  soldiers, 
and  contributed  liberally  to  their  comfort  whenever  opportunity 
offered.  On  our  departure,  this  firm,  in  addition  to  the  colors  pro 
vided  by  the  State,  presented  us  with  a  duplicate  set  of  colors,  and 
from  time  to  time,  as  they  became  worn  out,  they  furnished  others 
to  take  their  place. 

[From  the  "  Boston  Daily  Journal,"  July  30,  1861.] 

DEPARTURE    OK    THE   THIRTEENTH     REGIMENT  RECEPTION     BY    THE   SECOND 

BATTALION   AND    OLD   CITY   GUARDS  —  COLLATION    IN    FANEU1L   HALL. 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  Colonel  Leonard,  be 
ing  the  eighth  regiment  of  three  years'  troops  which  Massachusetts  has  sent  to 
the  war,  took  its  final  departure  for  Washington  this  afternoon. 

The  admiration  and  affection  of  a  whole  community  has  been  centred  upon  the 
young  men  of  this  regiment,  the  nucleus  of  which,  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  Rifles, 
was  recruited  in  our  midst  from  the  families  of  our  most  respected  citizens.  It  is 
no  disparagement  to  the  members  and  officers  of  the  battalion  to  say  that  the 
companies  from  the  country,  which  have  been  added  to  the  regiment,  are  equally 
meritorious  and  deserving  of  popular  regard. 

No  pains  have  been  spared  to  make  the  Thirteenth  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any 
regiment  which  has  left  the  State.  They  have  a  full,  neat,  and  serviceable  uni 
form,  equipments  which  any  soldier  might  be  proud  to  wear,  and  an  arm  —  the 
Enfield  rifle  musket  —  which  has  been  pronounced  by  the  officers  of  the  regi 
ment  to  be  the  most  delicate,  highly  finished,  and  defensible  weapon  in  the  in 
fantry  service. 

ARRIVAL   OF   THE   REGIMENT    IN    BOSTON. 

The  regiment,  which  has  been  quartered  at  Fort  Independence,  came  up  to  the 
city  on  the  steamer  "  Nelly  Baker,"  the  boat  making  two  special  trips  for  the 
purpose.  She  arrived  at  the  foot  of  Long  Wharf  at  a  quarter  before  one  o'clock, 

(xxix) 


XXX  DEPA  E  T  URE. 

bringing  Companies  B,  C,  F,  I,  and  K,  under  command  of  Major  Gould,  and  then 
returned  for  the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  which  was  finally  landed  in  the  city 
at  a  quarter  past  two. 

As  each  detachment  of  troops  left  the  fort,  bidding  adieu  to  quarters  which  have 
been  the  scene  of  so  much  happiness,  they  were  honored  with  a  parting  salute  by 
Sergeant  Parr,  the  United  States  ordnance  officer  in  charge  of  the  post.  The 
troops  acknowledged  the  compliment  with  hearty  cheers. 

THE   ESCORT. 

The  courtesy  of  escorting  the  regiment  through  the  city  was  accepted  by 
Colonel  Leonard  from  the  Second  Battalion  of  Infantry,  Major  Ralph  W.  Newton, 
and  the  Old  City  Guard,  and  past  members  of  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  Rifles  under 
Col.  Jonas  H.  French.  The  two  corps  paraded  as  a  battalion,  being  accom 
panied  by  Gilmore's  Band,  and  the  Old  Guard  by  the  Boston  Brigade  Band.  The 
first  troops  which  arrived  remained  under  cover  of  the  sheds,  where  they  were 
protected  from  the  rain  until  their  comrades  reached  the  wharf,  when  the  line 
was  formed  and  the  regiment  escorted  up  and  down  State  Street,  making  the 
detour  of  the  Old  State  House,  through  Merchants  Row  to  Faneuil  Hall. 

THE   COLLATION. 

The  hospitalities  of  the  city  we.-e  extended  to  the  regiment  by  His  Honor  the 
Mayor,  in  the  form  of  a  collation  to  have  been  served  to  the  men  on  the  Com 
mon;  but  the  storm  which  prevailed  interrupted  the  programme  of  the  march  and 
collation,  and  the  latter  was  laid  on  the  table  in  the  "  Old  Cradle  of  Liberty," 
which  the  regiment  reached  about  three  o'clock.  Hastily  partaking  of  a  most 
acceptable  repast,  the  line  was  re-formed,  and  the  regiment  took  up  the  line  of 

MARCH   THROUGH   THE   CITY. 

Nothing  but  the  storm  which  prevailed  all  day  prevented  this  regiment  from 
receiving  an  ovation  surpassing  any  which  has  been  given  to  the  troops  going 
before  it. 

The  social  position  of  the  members,  the  reputation  which  they  have  achieved 
in  drill  and  discipline,  and  the  fact  that  a  majority  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment 
were  representative  members  of  some  of  our  most  popular  organizations,  grown 
up  and  educated  amongst  us,  —  all  these  circumstances  conspired  to  ensure  the 
regiment  a  most  generous  and  enthusiastic  demonstration. 

The  march  through  the  city  was  accomplished  under  trying  circumstances,  the 
condition  of  the  streets  harassing  the  troops,  encumbered  as  they  were  with  over 
coats  and  knapsacks.  The  route  was  through  Merchants  Row,  up  State  and  Wash 
ington  Streets  to  the  long  freight  depot  of  the  Boston  &  Worcester  Railroad,  which 
they  entered  out  of  Harvard  Street.  Instead  of  a  "  sea  of  heads,"  an  ocean  of 
umbrellas  filled  the  streets,  surging  with  the  increase  from  streams  of  anxious 
spectators  which  poured  in  from  every  alley  and  by-way;  and  above  the  beating 


DEPARTURE.  xxxi 

of  drums  and  blast  of  horns  arose  the  shouts  of  the  people,  cheering  the  brave 
boys  who  have  pledged  their  lives  in  the  defence  of  the  Union.  What  was  lack 
ing  in  numbers  was  made  up  in  enthusiasm  by  the  people  who  lined  the  way. 
Bouquets  were  showered  in  profusion  upon  the  troops  by  loving  hands  whose 
hearts  went  with  floral  tributes  which  they  gave. 

At  the  depot  scenes  occurred  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  fair  friends  of  the 
troops  were  in  full  possession  of  the  place,  and  when  the  regiment  filed  into  the 
cars,  the  flying  moments,  which  to  the  actors  were  as  hours,  were  fraught  with  in 
cidents  of  self-sacrifice,  of  womanly  devotion,  and  manly  heroism  which  caused 
the  stoutest  heart  to  quail  and  the  sternest  lip  to  quiver.  There  was  no  calling 
back  of  husbands,  sons,  and  brothers,  no  repining,  but  brave  words  of  encourage 
ment,  pious  counsels,  and  motherly  advice  to  the  young  and  inexperienced  volun 
teer  as  the  Hnal  good-by  and  "  God  bless  you  "  was  spoken. 

THE    DEPARTURE. 

The  train  left  the  depot  at  precisely  five  o'clock,  amid  the  cheers  of  thousands 
of  people  who  filled  the  side  tracks  and  covered  the  bridges  under  which  the  train 
passed.  The  baggage-wagons  and  horses  of  the  regiment  were  sent  forward  in 
advance  of  the  troops.  In  this  latter  respect  the  regiment  fared  as  well  as  those 
who  have  preceded  it.  The  regiment  carried  with  it  two  stands  of  color,  consist 
ing  of  a  State  and  a  National  flag,  which  were  presented  to  them  by  the  State 
without  ceremony,  just  as  they  were  leaving  the  city. 

THE   REGIMENTAL   ROSTER. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment : 

Colonel SAMUEL  H.  LEONARD,  of  Boston. 

Lieutenant-Colonel     .     .     .  N.  WALTER  BATCHELDER,  of  Boston. 

Major JACOB  PARKER  GOULD,  of  Stoneham. 

Adjutant DAVID  H.  BRADLEE,  of  Boston. 

Quartermaster GEORGE  E.  CRAIG,  of  Boston. 

Surgeon ALLSTON  W.  WHITNEY,  of  Boston. 

Assistant  Surgeon  .     .     .     .  J.  THEODORE  HEARD,  of  Boston. 

Chaplain NOAH  M.  GAYLORD,  of  Boston. 

Company  A.  —  Captain,  James  A.  Fox;  First  Lieutenant,  Samuel  N.  Neat; 
Second  Lieutenant,  George  Bush. 

Company  B.  — Captain,  Joseph  S.  Cary;  First  Lieutenant,  John  G.  Hovey; 
Second  Lieutenant,  Augustus  N.  Sampson. 

Company  C.  —  Captain,  John  Kurtz;  First  Lieutenant,  William  H.  Jackson; 
Second  Lieutenant,  Walter  H.  Judson. 

Company  D.  —  Captain,  Augustine  Harlow;  First  Lieutenant,  Charles  H. 
Hovey;  Second  Lieutenant,  William  H.  Cary. 


xxxii  DEPARTURE. 

Company  £.  — Captain,  Charles  R.  M.  Pratt;  First  Lieutenant,  Joseph  Col- 
burn;  Second  Lieutenant,  Edwin  R.  Frost. 

Company  F.  —  Captain,  Henry  Whitcomb ;  First  Lieutenant,  Abel  H.  Pope; 
Second  Lieutenant,  Charles  F.  Morse. 

Company  G.  —  Captain,  Eben  W.  Fiske;  First  Lieutenant,  Loring  S.  Richard 
son;  Second  Lieutenant,  John  Foley. 

Company  II. —  Captain,  William  H.  Clark;  First  Lieutenant,  Perry  D.  Cham 
berlain;  Second  Lieutenant,  Francis  Jenks. 

Company  /. —  Captain,  Charles  H.  R.  Schreiber;  First  Lieutenant,  Moses  P. 
Palmer;  Second  Lieutenant,  David  Brown. 

Company  K.  —  Captain,  William  P.  Blackmer;  First  Lieutenant,  William  B. 
Bacon;  Second  Lieutenant,  Charles  B.  Fox. 

ON   THE   ROAD. 

After  leaving  the  station  of  the  Boston  &  Worcester  Railroad  the  regiment  was 
greeted  with  cheers  and  fluttering  handkerchiefs  all  along  the  route  to  Worcester. 
The  citizens  of  the  towns  on  the  road  seemed  to  have  been  on  the  watch  for  the 
train,  and  as  the  regiment  went  quickly  past  they  improved  the  short  time  by  the 
most  energetic  demonstration  of  good-will.  It  was  a  considerable  distance  be 
yond  the  city  that  the  members  of  the  regiment  took  a  last  look  of  Boston  friends. 
Far  out  on  the  Back  Bay  lands  were  a  considerable  number  of  ladies  and  gentle 
men  who  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  their  exertions  to  cheer  the  departing 
soldiers.  "  Good-by,  boys,  —  keep  up  the  reputation  of  the  Thirteenth,"  were 
words  earnestly  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  men;  and  they  promised  to  do 
all  in  their  power  to  answer  the  expectations  of  the  friends  of  the  regiment. 

Every  house  near  the  railroad  was  filled  with  ladies,  as  the  train  passed  through 
Brighton,  who  flung  their  handkerchiefs  back  and  forth,  and  seemed  anxious  to 
be  counted  among  the  well-wishers  of  those  who  go  to  fight  for  our  country. 
Thus  it  was  at  Newton  and  Natick,  and  at  the  latter  place  large  numbers  were 
collected  at  the  railway  station,  as  if  desirous  to  have  the  train  stop;  but  it  whirled 
past,  and  many  relations  of  the  Natick  company  were  probably  deprived  of  an  op 
portunity  to  say  a  parting  word  to  them.  The  first  stop  of  the  train  was  at 

FRAMINGHAM. 

As  the  train  drew  near,  it  was  greeted  with  the  booming  of  cannon  and  ringing 
of  bells.  There  were  several  thousand  ladies  and  gentlemen  gathered  at  the 
station  from  Marlboro',  Natick,  and  other  adjoining  towns,  from  which  several 
companies  of  the  regiment  came.  A  tarry  of  ten  minutes  was  well  improved  by 
the  soldiers,  many  of  whom  were  engaged  in  farewells  to  relatives;  while  others 
improved  the  opportunity  to  replenish  their  canteens  with  what  had  been  pro 
vided  for  them.  Had  there  been  a  probability  of  longer  stay,  still  further  pro 
vision  would  have  been  made  by  the  Framingham  people  for  the  comfort  of  the 
soldiers.  As  it  was,  the  reception  was  warm  and  enthusiastic,  and  the  men  left 


DEPARTURE.  XXxiii 

with  a  renewed  feeling  of  sadness  for  those  left  behind.  The  train  arrived  at 
Framingham  at  six  o'clock,  and  at  ten  minutes  past  six  it  was  again  whirling 
away  towards  Worcester. 

At  Westboro',  in  which  town  Company  K  was  organised,  the  speed  of  the  train 
was  slackened,  and  went  through  the  village  so  slowly  as  to  allow  the  citizens  and 
the  soldiers  to  take  leave  of  each  other.  The  train  then  hurried  on. 


RECEFFION   AT   WORCESTER. 

The  regiment  arrived  in  Worcester  at  half-past  seven  o'clock,  while  prepara 
tions  had  been  made  to  give  the  soldiers  a  collation.  This  was  prompted  in  part 
by  the  fact  that  Colonel  Leonard  was  formerly  a  resident  of  that  city,  and  has  a 
large  number  of  personal  and  warm  friends  there.  The  cars  passed  from  Worces 
ter  to  Norwich  Railroad,  and  stopped  just  beyond  the  Common.  The  regiment 
then  filed  out  and  marched  round  to  Main  Street,  where  an  escort  was  waiting  to 
receive  them. 

The  escort  consisted  of  several  companies  from  the  Fifteenth  and  Twenty-first 
Regiments,  as  follows:  Fifteenth  Regiment,  Company  B,  Capt.  J.  W.  Kimball; 
Company  E,  Capt.  Charles  II.  Watson;  Company  D,  Capt.  Charles  II.  Foster; 
Company  G,  Capt.  Walter  Forsband.  Of  the  Twenty-first:  Company  G,  Capt. 
Addison  A.  Walker;  Company  D,  Lieut.  C.  S.  Foster  in  command.  The  whole 
was  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ward,  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment. 
The  regimental  band  of  the  latter  regiment  headed  the  escort. 

The  column  marched  up  Main  Street  and  returned  to  City  Hall,  where  a 
collation  was  in  waiting.  Main  Street  was  crowded  with  people,  but  it  was  grow 
ing  dark,  and  they  did  not  have  a  good  opportunity  to  see  the  regiment.  They 
were,  however,  disposed  to  praise  Colonel  Leonard's  command  very  highly. 

THE    COLLATION. 

On  account  of  the  unfavorable  weather  the  arrangements  to  prepare  a  collation 
on  the  Common  were  changed,  and  the  City  Hall  was  taken  for  that  purpose. 

There  was  not  as  much  room  in  this  building  as  was  necessary  for  the  whole 
regiment,  and  in  consequence  but  live  companies  were  entertained  at  a  time.  The 
collation  was  prepared  liberally,  under  the  supervision  of  a  committee  of  the 
citizens,  who  had  received  aid  from  the  city  government.  In  the  hall  were  Major- 
General  Morse  and  staff  and  other  prominent  individuals,  including  the  mayor  of 
the  city.  Colonel  Leonard  and  staff  were  made  to  realize  that  they  have  a  host  of 
friends  in  Worcester. 

On  the  entrance  of  the  colonel  to  the  hall  he  was  presented  with  a  beautiful 
bouquet  by  the  ladies  present.  About  an  hour  was  consumed  in  the  hall,  when 
the  soldiers  left  and  marched  back  to  the  cars  under  escort.  At  shortly  before 
half-past  nine  o'clock  the  train  was  again  in  motion,  and  it  moved  away  ami;!  the 
drowning  cheers  of  the  multitude. 


XXXIV  DEPARTURE. 

[From  the  "  Boston  1  lerald,"  July  30,  iS6i.] 

The  column  marched  up  State  Street  at  twenty  minutes  before  three  o'clock, 
around  the  Old  State  House,  down  State  Street,  and  through  Merchants  Row  to 
Faneuil  Hall,  where  a  collation  was  provided.  State  Street  was  filled  with  people 
notwithstanding  the  storm,  and  on  no  other  occasion  has  there  been  more  enthu 
siasm  manifested.  Cheers  were  repeatedly  given  for  the  Thirteenth,  while  around 
Faneuil  Hall  there  was  also  an  immense  crowd.  Everybody  desired  to  see  some 
body,  and  there  was  a  perfect  rush  about  the  doors  of  the  hall  for  admittance. 
The  police  were  required,  however,  to  keep  alt  persons,  except  soldiers,  from  the 
hall,  as  a  different  course  would  only  tend  to  unnecessarily  delay  the  departure  of 
the  regiment.  As  the  troops  marched  in,  all  sorts  of  patriotic  airs  were  played 
by  the  band,  and  excited  proper  enthusiasm.  When  "Glory  hallelujah"  was 
reached  the  soldiers  and  crowd  joined  in  the  chorus,  and  no  one  within  a  half  a 
mile  of  Dock  Square,  except  a  deaf  person,  could  have  any  possible  excuse  for 
ignorance  of  the  whereabouts  of  John  Brown's  bones  or  his  ashes. 

Very  few  besides  the  members  of  the  regiment  and  the  waiters  were  allowed 
inside.  Our  reporter  was  one  of  the  few  civilians  admitted,  and  he  had  to  take 
the  oath  of  fealty,  agree  to  behave,  and  promise  to  eat  nothing.  This  was,  of 
course,  a  mere  formality,  with  no  reference  to  his  habits.  The  soldiers  were  weary 
and  hungry.  They  ate  voraciously,  and  sat  on  the  sanded  floor,  when  no  better 
resting-place  could  be  found.  There  was  no  profanity,  no  drunkenness  —  all 
praise  to  officers  and  men  for  this.  Notwithstanding  their  fatigue  there  was  no 
hustling,  no  ill-natured  remarks,  and  no  criticism  on  the  arrangements.  The  hall 
was  scarcely  large  enough  for  the  accommodation  of  so  large  a  body,  but  there 
was  no  grumbling. 

When  the  troops  again  sallied  forth  and  were  taken  in  charge  by  the  escort  the 
crowds  were  found  to  be  greatly  augmented.  Every  street  on  the  route  was 
blocked  up.  The  people  readily  fell  back  when  possible,  but  some  delay  was 
occasionally  caused.  One  continuous  round  of  cheers  was  kept  up  from  the  time 
they  left  Dock  Square  till  they  halted  in  Oak  Street. 

The  fine  bearing  of  these  troops  excited  comment  at  every  point  where  they 
were  seen.  Their  uniform  is  the  regulation  style,  and  appears  to  be  of  excellent 
quality.  They  all  wore  their  blue  overcoats  as  they  marched  up  State  Street,  and 
this  gave  a  uniformity  in  appearance  which  was  very  pleasing.  They  marched 
with  great  precision,  and  executed  all  movements  with  more  regularity  and  exact 
ness  than  is  generally  noticed. 


DEPARTURE.  XX  xv 


[From  the  "  New  York  Herald,"  July  31,  iSoi.] 

TROOPS   BOUND    FOR   THE   SKAT   OF    WAR  —  THE   THIRTEENTH    MASSACHUSETTS 

VOLUNTEERS   EN    ROUTE   FOR  THE   SEAT   OK   WAR. 

• 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  volunteers,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Leonard,  arrived  in  this  city  yesterday  en  route  to  the  seat  of  war.  The 
regiment,  which  was  organized  in  a  great  measure  in  the  city  of  Boston,  was  en 
camped  for  some  time  at  Fort  Independence,  in  Boston  1  larbor,  where  they  were 
so  well  perfected  in  discipline  that  few  regiments  can  compete  with  them  in  drill 
ing  and  mantEUvring.  They  struck  their  tents  on  Monday  morning,  and  after  a 
short  parade  in  Boston  proceeded  to  this  city  by  the  Norwich  &  Worcester  route, 
and  arrived  about  eleven  o'clock  yesterday.  They  were  met  at  the  steamboat 
wharf  by  a  deputation  of  citizens,  natives  of  Massachusetts,  wearing  on  their 
breasts  badges  with  the  inscription  "  Sons  of  Massachusetts."  These  badges,  as 
also  the  banner  carried  by  the  "  sons,"  were  ornamented  with  the  coat-of-arms  of 
the  Bay  State.  The  regiment  then  took  up  their  line  of  march  through  Cannl 
Street  and  Broadway  to  the  City  Hall  Park,  where  the  men  were  dismissed  for 
dinner  in  the  barracks  and  "  a  ramble  about  the  city." 

Shortly  after  four  o'clock  the  regimental  line  was  again  formed,  and  the  pro 
cession,  preceded  by  the  escort  of  citizens,  marched  down  Broadway  and  around 
Battery  Place  to  pier  No.  I,  where  they  embarked  on  board  the  steamboat  "  John 
Potter,"  for  Amboy.  Their  reception  was  a  most  magnificent  one,  and  the  ap 
plause  of  the  populace  was  expressed  at  every  step  of  the  route  in  a  continued 
clapping  of  hands. 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  is  one  of  which  Massachusetts  may  well  be  proud. 
It  is  composed  of  a  superior  class  of  men.  In  physical  appearance,  soldier-like 
bearing,  and  martial  discipline,  the  regiment  is  perhaps  unsurpassed.  The  mem 
bers  generally  belong  to  a  higher  social  position  than  those  composing  most  of 
our  regiments,  and  their  enlistment  has  been  a  matter  of  pure  patriotism,  many 
having  left  remunerative  salaries  and  situations  to  go  to  the  war.  The  uniform  of 
the  regiment  consists  of  a  dark-blue  loose  jacket  of  flannel,  light-blue  cloth  pants, 
and  regulation  cap.  They  are  all  armed  with  the  Enfield  rifle. 


NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

'"FHE  Thirteenth  Regiment  left  New  York,  Tuesday,  July  30,  1861, 
for  Philadelphia  in  two  trains,  the  first,  containing  the  right 
wing,  arriving  shortly  after  midnight,  and  the  second,  containing  the 
left  wing,  arriving  shortly  before  daylight. 

We  were  marched  directly  to  the  "Cooper  shop,"  where  ample 
facilities  were  afforded  for  cleanliness,  followed  by  a  bountiful  supply 
of  food. 

Although  it  was  July,  1861,  William  M.  Cooper  had  already  inau 
gurated  that  magnificent  system  of  providing  for  soldiers  on  their 
way  to  and  from  the  front  which  became  so  widely  known  as  the 
"Cooper  shop."  For  four  years  every  soldier  in  the  land  knew 
that  if  he  could  reach  Philadelphia  he  would  find  a  temporary  home 
that  would  bridge  over  his  troubles  until  he  could  gain  strength  to 
proceed  on  his  journey.  Troops  on  their  way  to  the  front,  regard 
less  of  numbers,  were  entertained  at  this  hospitable  building.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  exaggerate  the  happiness  and  comfort  conferred 
by  this  patriotic  undertaking. 

At  daylight  we  were  formed  in  line  and  marched  across  the  city 
to  West  Philadelphia,  where  we  halted  until  cars  could  be  obtained 
for  our  transportation  to  Harrisburg.  On  our  way  we  met  the  Sixth 
Massachusetts  regiment  and  the  Third  Battalion  of  rifles  returning 
home,  being  transported  in  freight-cars.  This  seemed  hard  lines  to 
many  of  us  who  had  been  incited  to  enlist  by  the  experience  of  the 
Sixth  in  Baltimore.  The  boys  themselves,  however,  seemed  con 
tented  and  happy,  as  many  a  time  afterward  we  would  have  been 
had  we  even  freight-cars  to  transport  us. 

It  was  a  hot  morning,  and  our  knapsacks  were  loaded  beyond 
human  endurance  with  things  our  kind  but  inexperienced  friends  at 
home  thought  necessary  for  our  comfort.  Pounds  soon  became  tons, 
and  when  the  regiment  was  granted  a  halt,  knapsacks  were  opened 


£    :  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

to  sfee  ivha'rcJoyk:!  be  thrown  away  without  infringing  on  sentiments 
of  gratitude  or  lessening  our  comfort. 

Before  leaving  Fort  Independence  we  had  as  many  as  three  Bibles 
given  us.  As  the  last  ones  were  received  just  before  we  started,  no 
opportunity  was  afforded  of  leaving  them  in  the  hands  of  friends 
to  keep  until  our  return.  Now  the  time  had  arrived  when  some 
thing  had  to  go,  so  it  was  decided  that  extra  stockings  and  shirts 
were  more  useful  than  Bibles,  and  as  we  were  provided  with  a  chap 
lain,  the  Bible  was  discarded.  This  was  the  pretty  universal  opin 
ion  of  the  boys,  judging  by  the  large  number  that  remained  on  the 
sidewalk  as  we  resumed  our  march.  A  short  time  after,  one  of 
the  boys  received  a  letter  from  a  gentleman  in  Philadelphia  in 
which  he  expressed  his  admiration  for  the  soldier  who  sought  to 
lessen  his  fatigue  by  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures.  "A  letter  from 
Philadelphia  "  became  a  by-word  for  many  months. 

About  1 1  o'clock  we  left  for  Harrisburg,  which  point  we  reached  a 
little  before  sundown  the  same  day.  For  some  unexplained  reason 
we  were  unprovided  with  food,  so  that  upon  our  arrival  at  the  capital 
of  Pennsylvania,  a  grand  rush  was  made  for  the  nearest  restaurants. 
A  few  succeeded  in  procuring  food,  but  the  stay  was  too  short  to 
enable  many  to  get  even  a  mouthful.  Those  who  got  anything  were 
lucky,  and  those  who  were  paid  for  what  was  eaten  were  also  lucky, 
as  the  ringing  of  the  engine  bell  and  the  commands  of  officers,  like 
those  of  Providence,  must  be  obeyed  ;  and  therefore  we  continued  our 
journey  to  Hagerstown,  which  place  we  reached  about  daylight,  hav 
ing  spent  a  rainy  night  in  cars  that  for  many  years  had  enjoyed  the 
privacy  and  seclusion  of  a  warm  storehouse,  where  they  had  been 
allowed  to  lie  and  shrink  until  it  could  be  decided  whether  they 
should  be  destroyed  or  sent  to  a  country  where  the  average  mortality 
was  too  great  for  the  people  to  bother  themselves  about  a  railroad 
accident. 

The  rain  penetrating  the  cars  made  it  impossible  to  sleep,  while 

they  were  so  badly  lighted  as  to  leave  us  the  only  one   thing  to  do 

—  growl.     Hunger  and  loss  of  sleep,  say  nothing  about  weariness 

from   the  excitement  through  which   we    had  passed,  brought  out 

all  the   irritable  qualities  we  possessed.     The  irritation  disappeared, 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  3 

however,  when  it  became  known  that  we  had  arrived  at  Hagers- 
town.  On  jumping  from  the  cars  we  found  the  surface  of  the 
ground  to  consist  of  red  clay,  made  soft  and  sticky  as  glue  by  the 
night's  rain.  Very  soon  the  soles  of  our  shoes  were  increased  to 
twice  their  size,  with  an  added  weight  that  made  it  difficult  to  lift 
our  feet.  As  one  of  the  boys  very  aptly  said,  "  Three  knapsacks,  — 
one  for  your  back,  and  one  for  each  foot."  It  was  vexatious  enough  to 
find  ourselves  in  such  a  mess,  but  as  all  were  served  alike,  the  scene 
became  so  ridiculous  as  to  change  our  dejection  to  mirth.  We  were 
soon  marched  into  the  main  street  of  the  town,  where  we  were  halted, 
and  where  we  soon  rid  ourselves  of  the  incumbrance. 

There  had  been  some  curiosity  expressed,  during  our  journey,  as 
to  how  we  would  be  received  by  persons  living  so  near  the  border  line. 
All  doubts  were  soon  removed  by  the  kindly  hospitality  of  the  peo 
ple,  who  turned  out  of  their  houses  in  large  numbers  to  greet  us. 
Upon  learning  of  our  hunger  they  proceeded  at  once  to  relieve  it  by 
an  abundance  of  food  and  coffee  which  they  brought  from  their 
homes.  Most  of  us  had  had  nothing  to  eat  for  twenty-four  hours,  and 
this  graceful  act  by  the  loyal  people  of  Hagerstown  was  highly  ap 
predated.  Some  months  afterward  it  was  our  good  fortune  to  be 
stationed  so  near  as  to  become  better  acquainted  with  the  people 
of  this  open-hearted  town. 

During  the  entire  trip  from  Boston  only  one  man  was  seriously 
injured.  Edwin  F.  Morris,  of  Co.  D,  while  engaged  in  securing  a 
curtain  attached  to  one  of  the  ambulances,  was  struck  on  the  head 
by  a  bridge.  He  subsequently  returned  to  duty. 

After  a  good  rest  we  were  marched  into  camp  about  a  mile  from 
the  town. 

The  companies  were  provided  with  "  Sibley  "  tents,  five  to  each 
company.  Each  tent  is  capable  of  holding  sixteen  men  without 
crowding  —  seventeen  crowds  it,  and  eighteen  men  excites  pro 
fanity  ;  therefore  the  line  was  drawn  at  seventeen.  The  commis 
sioned  officers  were  supplied  with  "  wall "  tents,  square  in  shape, 
while  the  "  Sibley  "  was  a  round  tent  with  a  single  pole  resting  on 
a  tripod  in  the  centre.  The  tents  of  the  men  were  pitched  so  as  to 
be  in  a  straight  line,  each  company  being  parallel  to  the  others,  with 


4  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

a  liberal  space  between,  called  the  company  street.  Each  tent  has 
one  opening,  facing  the  street.  The  company  officers'  tents  were 
pitched  in  a  straight  line,  at  right  angles  with  the  company  tents, 
and  so  arranged,  as  to  distance,  that  the  officers  were  in  line  with 
their  respective  companies. 

After  tents  were  pitched,  some  of  the  men  turned  in 
1861.  and  went  to  sleep,  though  the  novelty  of  the  thing  was 

Thursday,  too  great  for  most  of  Us,  who  straggled  back  into  town. 
Aug'  lf  During  the  day  one  of  the  boys  brought  in  a  Virginia 
towl615  PaPer  in  which  it:  was  stated  that  one  "Southerner 
could  lick  five  Northern  mudsills."  It  was  not  so  very 
comforting  to  feel  that  we  were  to  be  killed  off  in  blocks  of  five. 
Nothing  was  said  to  us  on  the  i6th  of  July,  the  date  of  our  muster- 
in,  about  this  wholesale  slaughter.  There  was  a  kind  of  airy 
confidence  as  well  as  contemptuousness  about  the  statement  that 
made  our  enlistment  look  little  less  like  a  picnic  than  when  we 
marched  down  Broadway.  It  was  hard  to  realize  that  we  had  come 
so  far  from  home  merely  to  solve  a  problem  in  mathematics,  yet  so 
it  seemed  to  the  writer  of  that  philippic. 

Some  time  during  the  night  an  alarm  was  sounded  by  the  beating 
of  the  "  long  roll,"  and  we  were  ordered  into  line  to  drive  the  ter 
rible  foe,  who  was  thought,  even  then,  to  be  in  our  midst.  Immedi 
ately  everything  was  excitement  and  confusion.  We  can  afford  to 
laugh  now,  but  then  it  was  terribly  serious,  and  no  doubt  we  did 
some  silly  things ;  but  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  was  very 
early  in  the  war.  When  it  was  discovered,  as  it  shortly  was,  that  all 
this  excitement  was  caused  by  a  pig  who  strolled  into  camp  and  was 
mistaken  by  the  officer  of  the  guard  for  the  rebel  army,  many  of  us 
were  imbued  with  a  courage  we  hardly  felt  before.  There  was  little 
sleep  during  the  balance  of  the  night,  as  the  matter  had  to  be  discussed 
and  talked  about,  as  most  things  were  in  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
Thirteenth,  particularly  when  it  related  to  the  foolishness  of  an  officer. 

Although  orders  awaited  us,  on  our  arrival  in  Hagerstown,  to 
march  to  Harper's  Ferry,  we  were  delayed  on  account  of  the  bad 
condition  of  the  roads  from  recent  rains.  This  kind  of  consideration 
went  out  of  fashion  very  soon  after,  we  are  sorry  to  say. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  5 

1861  About  sunset  we  struck  tents  and  marched  to  Boones- 

boro',  fourteen  miles,  arriving  there  at  the  witching  hour 
of  night  when  it  is  said  churchyards  yawn.  \\  e  were  led  into  an 
empty  corral,  lately  occupied  by  mules,  to  bivouac  for  the  night. 

Ordinarily  a  mule-yard  would  not  be  considered  a  desirable  place 
in  which  to  spend  the  night,  but  it  was  midnight,  and  we  were  weary 
with  marching,  and  worn  out  with  excitement  and  loss  of  sleep. 
This  was  our  fifth  night  from  home.  The  first  night  was  spent  on 
a  Sound  steamer,  the  second  on  our  way  to  Philadelphia,  the  third 
en  route  to  Hagerstown,  and  the  fourth  in  driving  pigs  out  of  camp, 
so  that  this  old  mule-yard,  as  far  as  we  could  see  it,  appeared 
the  most  delightful  place  in  the  world.  At  eighteen  to  twenty 
years  of  age  little  time  is  wasted  in  seeking  sleep.  It  comes 
quickly  and  takes  entire  possession  of  your  soul  and  body,  and 
all  we  did  was  to  drop  in  our  tracks,  making  no  inquiries 
about  camp  or  picket  guard,  but  let  Morpheus  lead  us  to  the 
land  of  pleasant  dreams.  This  being  our  first  bivouac,  occur 
rences  made  a  deeper  impression  than  at  any  time  afterward. 
When  reveille  was  sounded,  and  our  eyes  opened  to  the  bright 
sunlight,  we  looked  about  to  see  where  we  were  and  who  were 
near  us.  The  bright  red  blankets  of  the  regiment  made  the  place 
look  attractive.  Many  of  the  boys  were  still  stretching  themselves 
into  activity,  while  others  were  examining  their  beds  to  account 
for  sundry  pains  of  the  body  from  neglect  to  brush  the  stones  aside 
when  they  laid  down.  How  we  all  laughed  when  we  saw  where  we 
were  !  Many  and  many  a  time  while  sitting  round  a  camp  fire  have 
we  recalled  this  night  in  the  mule-yard. 

A  good  deal  of  complaint  was  heard  to-day  because  of  the  short 
allowance  of  food  provided  us  on  leaving  Hagerstown.  As  we  re 
ceived  nothing  more  from  the  government  until  our  arrival  at 
Pleasant  Valley,  thirty-six  hours  afterwards,  we  were  forced  to  draw 
on  our  own  resources  —  "  The  almighty  dollar."  According  to 
letters,  written  at  this  time,  we  continued  in  much  trouble  about  the 
matter  of  rations  until  after  our  arrival  at  Darnestown.  It  is  very 
probable  that  our  discontent  was  largely,  if  not  wholly,  due  to  the 
sudden  change  to  army  rations. 


6  THREE     YEARS    IN     THE    ARMY. 

[86l  The  following  articles  of  clothing  were  issued  to  each 

man  before  leaving  Fort  Independence,  and  charged  for 
by  the  government,  to  be  deducted  the  first  pay-day  : 

I  great  coat.  I  blanket. 

I  uniform  coat.  I  bed-tick. 

I  fatigue  coat.  I  knapsack. 

I  pair  trousers.  I  dipper. 

1  fatigue  cap.  I  knife  and  fork. 

2  pairs  flannel  drawers.  I  spoon  and  plate. 
2  flannel  shirts.  I  rubber  blanket. 
2  pairs  socks.  I  haversack. 

I  pair  shoes.  I  canteen. 

Bed-tick  !  When  we  sailed  away  from  Fort  Independence  we  felt 
there  was  something  we  had  left  behind,  and  for  thirty-one  years  we 
have  been  trying  to  recall  what  it  was,  but  when  this  list  was  read  it  all 
came  back  to  us  —  it  was  our  bed-tick  !  If  the  government  charged 
us  with  them  it  was  a  swindle,  inasmuch  as  we  never  received  them. 

Added  to  this  list  were  sundry  articles  contributed  by  friends. 
One  friend  suggested  to  the  writer  "two  long  flannel  night-gowns" 
as  indispensable. 

As  you  had  to  pay  for  the  articles  issued,  there  was  no  objection 
on  the  part  of  the  government  to  your  throwing  them  all  away,  if  it 
pleased  you  to  do  so.  In  addition,  each  company  was  supplied  with  — 

6  saws.  2  hatchets. 

12  camp-kettles.  2  rakes. 

12  mess-pans.  2  shovels. 

2  axes.  2  picks. 

These  were  carried  in  the  company  wagons,  —  that  is,  while  we 
had  them.  When  the  wagons  were  taken  away,  Mr.  "High  Private  " 
took  his  turn  at  carrying  the  axes,  shovels,  and  picks. 

A  very  hot  day.  Shortly  after  breakfast  we  left  for 
Saturday,  Pleasant  Valley,  sixteen  miles,  where  we  arrived  in  the 
Aug.  3.  afternoon,  and  where  we  bivouacked  for  the  night.  A 
good  many  of  the  men  were  overcome  by  the  heat,  and 
didn't  reach  cam])  until  after  dark.  The  size  of  the  knapsack  was  too 
large  for  men  unused  to  carrying  such  a  weight.  It  must  be  reduced, 
and  there  were  no  more  Bibles.  Just  what  to  throw  away  it  was  diffi- 


THIRTEENTH    MASK.     VOL8.  7 

1861.  cult  to  decide,  as  many  of  the  articles  we  carried  were  con 

nected  by  association  with  those  we  held  most  dear.  Some 
of  the  boys  had  dressing-cases  among  their  luxuries.  They  hated  to 
dispense  with  them,  but  it  had  to  be  done.  Among  the  articles  pro 
vided  us  by  the  State  were  "  havelocks,"  commonly  used  in  hot  coun 
tries  by  the  English  army.  The  havelock  was  named  after  Sir  Henry 
Havelock,  a  distinguished  English  general.  It  is  made  of  white  linen, 
to  be  worn  on  the  head  as  a  protection  from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  As 
it  was  made  sufficiently  large  to  cover  the  neck  and  shoulders,  the 
effect,  when  properly  adjusted,  was  to  deprive  the  wearer  of  any  air 
he  might  otherwise  enjoy.  An  Englishman  would  melt  in  his  boots 
before  he  would  give  up  a  custom  enjoyed  by  his  grandfather.  Not 
so  a  Yankee.  The  motive  which  prompted  the  State  to  supply  them 
was  a  good  one,  as  was  also  the  suggestion  that  prompted  their  im 
mediate  transfer  to  the  plebeian  uses  of  a  dish-cloth  or  a  coffee- 
strainer,  which  suggestion  was  universally  adopted,  — a  dish-cloth  or 
coffee-strainer  being  the  only  things  in  the  world,  apparently,  we 
were  unprovided  with. 

Another  hot  day.     A  lovelier  spot  than  Pleasant  Valley 
ay>        to  camp  in  would  be  hard  to  find,  and  we  were  glad 

Aug.  4. 

enough  at  the  delay  in  marching.  During  the  afternoon 
we  received  orders  to  join  General  Banks  at  Harper's  Ferry,  but 
before  we  were  in  readiness  to  march,  other  orders  were  received 
to  go  to  Sharpsburg,  whereupon  the  hour  of  leaving  was  postponed 
until  to-morrow  morning. 

We  got  away  early,  and  after  a  march  of  nineteen 
Monday,  miles  went  into  camp  about  one  mile  from  Sharpsburg. 
Aug.  5.  A  hot  day,  and  a  long,  weary  march.  We  were  soon 

made  happy  by  the  arrival  of  the  regimental  wagons, 
which  we  had  not  seen  for  four  days.  As  they  contained  the  tents, 
camp  kettles,  etc.,  we  soon  made  ourselves  as  comfortable  as  could 
be.  The  camp  was  situated  in  a  delightful  grove  near  a  good  sup 
ply  of  water  for  bathing,  as  well  as  for  culinary  purposes. 

Six  companies  were  detached  from  the  regiment  and 
Tuesday,  sent  as  follows  to  guard  fords  on  the  Potomac  river : 
Aug.  6.  A  and  B  were  sent  to  Antietam  creek  at  its  junction 


8 


THREE     YEAH*    IN     THE    ARMY 


l86i.  with  the  Potomac  ;  C,  to  Shepard's  island  ;  E  and  H,  to 

Wednesday,  Blackburn's  ford  ;  and  Co.  I,  to  Dam  No.  4. 

Aug.  7,  -phe    duties    of    the    camp   were    established    by   an 

Sharpsburg. 


which  designate(j  tne  following  routine  : 


,  -. 

11.30  A.M. 

Fatigue- 

Fatigue. 

12.00  M. 
3.00  P.M. 
4.00     " 
6.00     " 
7.00     " 

9.00     " 
0.30     " 

Roast  beef. 

5-3° 

6.00    " 
6.15     " 

Re-call. 
.     .     .    Company  drill. 

.  Orderly  Sergeant  call. 
......          Drill. 

Re-call. 

7-45     " 
8.00    " 

Assembly  of  guard. 
.     Guard-mounting. 
Drill. 

Dress  parade,  in  full  uni 
form. 
Tattoo. 

1  1  .00    " 

Re-call. 

Taps. 

This  looks  very  much  like  the  programme  laid  out  for  the  troops 
at  a  State  muster. 

Our  relations  with  the  people  of  Sharpsburg  were  very  pleasant, 
and  they  did  their  best  to  prevent  our  departure. 

Inspection.  The  first  religious  exercises  since  leav- 
Sunday,  ing  Fort  Independence  were  this  day  held  by  the 
Aug.  ii,  Chaplain.  Nothing  was  said  about  our  leaving  Bibles 
Sharpsburg' in  Philadelphia. 

Word  having  been  received  that  Mr.  James  Ritchie 
Saturday,  na(j  arrjveci  at  Harper's  Ferry,  with  money  from  the 
State  for  services  at  Fort  Independence,  a  detail  of 
twenty  men  from  D  and  ten  from  K  was  sent  to  that 
place  to  meet  him,  starting  at  2  A.M.  with  an  ambulance  and 
wagon.  The  distance  was  fourteen  miles,  to  Maryland  heights, 
where  Mr.  Ritchie  was  found.  They  reached  camp,  on  their  return, 
before  dark,  and  all  was  joy. 

Paid  off.  A  good  day  and  a  good  deed.  We  were 
Sunday,  g]a(j  tjie  ytate  recognize(j  our  great  services  at  the  fort, 

though  $11   per  month,  to  be  sure,  was  not  a  high  price 
for  a  laborer  who  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 

Tuesday,  Orders  were  issued  for  the  detached   companies  to 

Aug.  20.        return  at  once  to  the  regiment. 


Aug.  17, 
Sharpsburg. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  9 

l861-  Marched  at  6  P.M.  to  Boonesboro',  seven  miles,  and 

Wednesday,  bivouacked. 

A  lip'     2 1 

Marched  to    Middletown,  eight  miles,  when  we  re- 
Thursday,     cejvecj    orciers   for   Sandy   Hook;    marched    five  more 

A.U£T    22 

miles,  and  bivouacked  at  Broad  Run  for  the  night. 

Marched  from  Broad   Run  to   Sandy    Hook,   fifteen 
Friday 

A  miles,  and  camped  about  two  miles  back  from  the   Poto 

mac  river.     Co.  I  was  detached  and  sent  to  the  river, 
opposite  Harper's  Ferry,  to  guard  the  ford  at  that  point. 

While  at  Sandy  Hook  we  received  the  hats  and  uniform  coats 
issued  to  us  by  the  State,  and  which  were  forwarded  by  express. 
The  coat  was  much  too  heavy,  with  the  thermometer  in  the  eigh 
ties.  It  was  made  with  long  skirts,  and  when  fitting  the  wearer  was 
not  a  bad-appearing  garment ;  but  as  very  few  of  them  did  fit,  our 
personal  appearance  was  not  improved.  They  were  made  large  in 
front,  to  meet  an  abnormal  expansion  of  chest.  Until  we  grew 
to  them,  it  was  a  handy  place  to  stow  some  of  the  contents  of 
our  knapsack.  The  hats  were  neither  useful  nor  ornamental.  They 
were  made  of  black  felt,  high-crowned,  with  a  wide  rim  turned  up 
on  one  side,  and  fastened  to  the  crown  by  a  brass  shield  repre 
senting  an  eagle  with  extended  wings,  apparently  screaming  with 
holy  horror  at  so  base  an  employment.  On  the  front  of  the  crown 
was  a  brass  bugle  containing  the  figure  13.  Now  it  so  happened 
that  the  person  who  selected  the  sizes  was  under  the  impression  that 
every  man  from  Massachusetts  had  a  head  like  Daniel  Webster  — 
a  mistake  that  caused  most  of  us  much  trouble,  inasmuch  as  news 
papers  were  in  great  demand  to  lessen  the  diameter  of  the  crown. 
Those  of  us  who  failed  to  procure  newspapers  made  use  of  our  ears 
to  prevent  its  falling  on  our  shoulders.  As  will  be  seen  later  on, 
they  mysteriously  disappeared. 

Remained  in  camp  at  this  place  until  September  2d,  with  the  usual 
routine  of  camp  duties.  The  farmers  soon  discovered  we  were  flush 
with  money,  and  raised  the  price  of  watermelons  from  two  cents 
apiece  to  twenty-five  cents.  Butter,  eggs,  and  other  luxuries  were 
displayed  before  the  patriotic  sons  of  Massachusetts,  and  many 
there  were  who  were  beguiled  of  their  money,  and  some  there  were, 


10  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

I86l.  I  am  afraid,  who  evened  up  by  forgetting  to  pay ;  but, 

as  Mr.  Kipling  says,  that  is  another  story. 

One  night  before  we  left  this  camp,  the  "long  roll  "  was  sounded 
and  the  regiment  marched  to  the  river,  opposite  Harper's  Ferry,  it 
having  been  given  out  that  the  enemy  were  attempting  to  cross  at 
that  ford.  When  near  the  river  we  were  required  to  lie  on  our 
stomachs  and  crawl  along  so  as  to  reach  the  bank  without  noise. 
We  had  scarcely  reached  the  water  before  it  was  discovered  that 
again  the  cause  of  alarm  was  a  pig  who  made  sufficient  noise  in  his 
wanderings  to  alarm  the  officer  in  command  of  the  detachment,  who 
thought  it  was  the  enemy.  This  time  it  was  a  Prussian  idiot,  who, 
playing  the  role  of  Don  Quixote,  deprived  us  of  a  night's  sleep. 
On  the  way  back  to  camp,  at  daylight,  he  was  the  subject  of  com 
ment,  and  some  there  were  who  boldly  expressed  a  wish  that  he 
might  be  sent  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling. 

The  appointment  of  this  officer  lo  our  regiment  was  one  of  the 
instances  of  attempting  to  graft  foreign  fruit  on  to  a  native  tree.  As 
it  proved  a  lamentable  failure,  no  apology  is  necessary  for  showing 
him  up  as  a  warning  to  future  governors  in  making  such  attempts. 
The  fact  that  he  had  expressed  a  contemptuous  opinion  of  Yankees 
doesn't  count  for  much,  of  course,  but  that  was  no  reason  why  he 
should  make  himself  or  the  regiment  conspicuous  by  peculiarities  in 
dress  or  manners.  Eccentricities  of  this  kind  were  unbecoming  in  a 
man  of  such  mediocrity  as  he.  Evidently  the  air  we  breathed  was 
unsuitable  for  a  man  of  his  expansive  nature,  and  we  were  glad  when 
he  shook  the  dust  of  the  Thirteenth  from  his  feet.  Remembering 
that  "  Pride  goeth  before  destruction,"  we  watched  his  career  with 
interest  as  he  sailed  aloft,  unconscious  of  his  elephantine  conceit, 
soaring  higher  and  higher  until  he  reached  the  rarefied  air 
of  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  a  Maryland  brigade,  where  swindling  and 
conduct  unbecoming  an  officer  were  frowned  upon.  Having  reached 
this  giddy  height  he  exploded  like  the  sky-rocket,  whose  flight  he 
so  much  resembled,  and  like  it  plunged  to  earth  again,  followed  by 
the  fiery  tears  of  his  mysterious  friends.  Notwithstanding  he  was 
dismissed  the  service,  he  is,  probably,  now  in  "  Fair  Bingen  on 
the  Rhine,"  relating  the  heroic  deeds  he  performed  in  Yankee  land 


THlllTEKNTir    MASS.     VOLS.  JJ 

1861,  to  save  the  Union.     He  was  the  author  of  "Company 

/,  /v/// .'.'/  " 

Among  the  orders  issued  from  headquarters  we  noticed  the  fol 
lowing,  which  explains  very  clearly  the  cause  of  irritation  that  ap 
peared  in  the  colonel's  face  at  battalion  drill  those  hot  afternoons. 
It  was  supposed,  at  the  time,  that  he  was  worried  at  the  high  price 
we  paid  for  watermelons  : 

SPECIAL  ORL»ER  \  HKADOUARTERS  THIRTEENTH  MASS.  VOLS., 

No.  71.        /  CAMP  READ,  Aug.  29,  1861. 

Commanding  officers  of  Companies  A  and  B  will  cause  to  be  returned  to 
headquarters  one  chair  each  belonging  to  the  Field  and  Staff. 

Struck  tents  soon  after  daylight  and  marched  with 
Tuesday,  empty  stomachs  to  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  canal, 
Sept.  3.  where  we  took  boats  which  were  towed  to  Conrad's 
Ferry,  twenty-five  miles,  and  where  we  bivouacked  for 
the  night,  whilst  the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  The  boats  were  towed  by 
the  horses  of  the  regiment. 

Between  4  and  5   P.M.  marched  to  Poolesville,  six 
Wednesday,  mjieS)  an{j   bivouacked   near   the   Fifteenth  Massachu 
setts  regiment.     A  cold,  rainy,  and  disagreeable  night. 
Cold,  wet,  and  hungry,  we  marched  at  6  A.M.  in  a 

Thursday, 

Sept.  5.  drizzling  rain  to    Darnestown,  seven   miles,  where  we 

Darnestown.  arrived  at  noon.  The  wagons  reached  us  at  night,  when 
we  proceeded  to  make  ourselves  comfortable  by  pitch 
ing  tents  and  cooking  coffee.  As  three  companies  were  detached 
from  the  regiment  on  September  ist,  Company  C  being  sent  to 
Monocacy  Junction,  and  Companies  I  and  K  to  Harper's  Ferry,  it 
follows  that  only  seven  companies  were  at  Darnestown.  We  were 
now  in  close  proximity  to  the  rest  of  the  division. 

The  brigade  to  which  we  were  attached  was  commanded  by  Brig.- 
Gen.  C.  S.  Hamilton,  and  was  composed  of  the  Third  Wisconsin 
Infantry,  the  Eighty-third  New  York  Infantry  (Ninth  New  York), 
the  Twenty-ninth  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  and  Capt.  Best's  Regular 
battery  of  twelve-pound  brass  guns.  For  a  few  days  after  our 
arrival  the  wagons  were  kept  loaded  and  rations  were  cooked, 


12  THREE     YEARS    IN     THE    ARMY. 

1861.  in    readiness    to    march  at  a    moment's   notice.      The 

expectations  to  move  soon  disappeared,  and  the  men 
proceeded  at  once  to  adorn  and  beautify  the  camp.  Before  each 
tent  were  placed  t\vo  evergreen  trees,  while  the  entrance  to  each 
company  street  was  adorned  with  a  large  arch  of  evergreen  boughs. 
When  the  work  was  completed  the  effect  was  very  beautiful,  and  ex 
cited  a  large  amount  of  praise  from  many  who  came  to  see  it.  A 
picture  of  it  was  published  in  one  of  the  illustrated  weekly  papers. 
At  this  time  of  our  service  men  were  detailed  in  turn,  in  each  com 
pany,  to  do  its  cooking,  a  place  being  set  apart  for  that  purpose,  pro 
tected  by  rails  and  shaded  by  a  roof  of  boughs.  It  was  soon  dis 
covered,  however,  that  too  many  cooks  did,  indeed,  spoil  the  broth. 
Rather  than  waste  all  the  food  that  was  issued  the  companies  soon  set 
tled  down  to  one  man,  with  an  assistant,  and  they  were  relieved  from 
all  other  duties.  This  system  was  pursued  until  the  time  when  each 
man  did  his  own  cooking,  as  will  be  seen  farther  on.  It  required 
the  patience  of  Job  to  cook  for  ninety-eight  men,  as  we  know  from 
experience.  One  week  at  it  was  convincing  proof  that  a  good  cook 
was  a  "  heap  "  bigger  man  than  McClellan. 

While  at  this  camp  the  tents  were  struck  twice  each  week  on  sunny 
days,  that  the  ground  might  be  uncovered  all  day  to  the  sun.  A  wise 
precaution,  and  no  doubt  had  its  effect  on  the  health  of  the  regi 
ment,  which  is  mentioned  in  a  report  of  the  medical  director  of  the 
army,  to  Gen.  McClellan,  as  being  remarkable. 

Joy  in  camp.  A  report  was  received  that  Jeff  Davis 
was  dead.  Now  that  we  are  with  the  brigade  our  supply 
of  food  has  improved.  It  was  about  this  time  we  dis 
covered,  by  reference  to  "Army  Regulations,"  how  the  government 
rated  the  various  appetites.  A  colonel  was  allowed  $56  worth 
of  food  each  month ;  a  lieutenant-colonel,  $45  ;  a  major,  $36 ; 
a  captain  or  lieutenant,  $36  ;  while  a  soldier's  daily  ration  con 
sisted  of  twelve  ounces  of  pork  or  bacon,  or  one  pound  four 
ounces  of  salt  or  fresh  beef,  one  pound  six  ounces  of  soft  bread  or 
flour,  or  one  pound  of  hard  bread,  or  one  pound  four  ounces  of 
corn  meal.  According  to  our  experience,  this  was  a  very  interesting 
legend,  and  many  a  time  we  wished  it  were  true,  for  there  was  no 


Exnr  MASS.    VOLS.  13 

1861.  time  when  a  soldier  hadn't  a  $56  appetite,  while  it  often 

happened  that  less  than  five  cents  would  buy  his  day's 
rations.  The  liberality  on  the  part  of  the  government  towards  the 
rank  and  file,  respecting  the  amount  of  luggage  he  could  carry,  was 
in  marked  contrast  to  what  it  rated  his  appetite.  In  an  order  issued 
by  Gen.  Banks,  at  this  time,  it  was  expressly  stated  that  a  general 
officer  would  not  be  allowed  to  carry  more  than  one  hundred  and 
twenty- five  pounds,  a  field  officer,  one  hundred  pounds,  a  captain* 
eighty  pounds,  and  a  subaltern,  eighty  pounds,  while  no  restrictions 
were  placed  on  a  private  soldier. 

An  order  was  received  to-day  from  headquarters  stating  that 
"a  sentinel's  duty  was  a  sacred  trust."  Nothing  like  having  things 
clearly  defined. 

A  man  in  one  of  the  Connecticut  regiments  was  shot 
September    t(>c]ay  for  sleeping  on  guard.      It  was  not  pleasant  to 
feel  that  a  quiet  nap,  on  picket,  might  be  followed  by 
death,  so  we  swore  off  sleeping  while  on  guard. 

It  was  at  Darnestown  that  we  were  first  made  acquainted  with 
an  article  of  food  called  "desiccated"  vegetables.  For  the 
convenience  of  handling,  it  was  made  into  large,  round  cakes 
about  two  inches  thick.  When  cooked,  it  tasted  like  herb  tea. 
From  the  flow  of  language  which  followed,  we  suspected  it  contained 
powerful  stimulating  properties.  It  became  universally  known  in  the 
army  as  "desecrated"  vegetables,  and  the  aptness  of  this  term 
would  be  appreciated  by  the  dullest  comprehension  after  one  mouth 
ful  of  the  abominable  compound.  It  is  possible  that  the  chaplain, 
who  overheard  some  of  the  remarks,  may  have  urged  its  discontinu 
ance  as  a  ration,  inasmuch  as  we  rarely,  if  ever,  had  it  again. 

An  order  was  received  from  General  McClellan  that 
Sunday,        « no  work  that  can  be  avoided,  no  drills  nor  MARCHING, 
ep  '  15'        shall  take  place  on  Sundays." 

To  those  of  us  who  served  in  the  ranks,  this  seemed  a  wise  and 
considerate  order,  quite  in  harmony  with  the  teachings  of  our 
Puritan  ancestors,  and  it  consequently  elevated  General  McClellan 
in  our  estimation  very  much.  Had  his  successors  observed  this 
rule,  the  war  might  easily  have  been  prolonged. 


14          THESE  YEARS  IN  THE  ARMY. 

1861.  The  regimental  sutler  arrived,  bringing  boxes  and  re- 

Monday,        membrances    from    home.     A  box   from    home  was   an 
ept'  1  '       event  in  the  life  of  a  soldier  that  brought  tender  recol 
lections  of  the  loving  ones  whose  hands  had  prepared  its  contents. 

One  great  pleasure  we  had  with  us  was  the  band.  It  not  only 
discoursed  good  music,  but  did  it  so  skilfully  as  to  receive  the  com 
mendations  of  other  regiments  and  officers,  who  availed  themselves 
of  every  opportunity  to  listen  to  its  playing.  Many  a  weary  mile 
they  helped  out  by  their  willingness  to  play,  even  when  they  must 

have  been  thoroughly  fagged  out  themselves. 

Thursday,         National  Fast  Day.     Parade  to  Darnestown  and  re- 
Sept.  26.       tum  jn  tne  afternoon>      The  colonel  was  very  compli 
mentary  in  his  remarks.     Not  so  we.     His  remarks  had 
no  reference  to  our  hats,  though  ours  did. 

We  were  reviewed  to-day  by  General  Banks,  and  were 
Wednes-       tne  ODServe(i  of  a}[  observers  because  of  our  hats,  the 
brasses  of  which  had  been  carefully  polished  for  the  oc 
casion,  and  reflected  a  yellow  light  over  the  entire  divi 
sion.     We  were  not  happy  at   the  comments,  and  from    this    day 
they  began  their  mysterious  and  gradual  disappearance,  until  the 

last  one  was  gone. 

Monday,  Brigade   drill.     Caught   in   a   thunder-storm.     Thor- 

Oct'  7-  oughly  soaked,  including  the  hats. 

Wednes-  Orders    received    to    march    to-morrow.       Much   joy 

day,  thereat.     Notwithstanding  our  beautiful  camp,  we  were 

Oct.  9.  glad  to  break  the  monotony  of  camp  life.     The  hats  are 

disappearing.     The  comical  shapes  into  which  some  of 
them  are  turned  excites  a  good  deal  of  merriment. 

Marched    to    Hyattstown,    fifteen    miles,     and     biv- 

Thursday,    ouac].e(j.     Another  batch  of  hats  gone.     We  now  march 
Oct.  10.  ... 

like  veterans,  it  is  said. 

Friday,  Marched  to  Frederick  City,  thirteen  miles,  and  biv- 

Oct.  ii.         ouacked  in  a  jail-yard.     It  rained  hard.     The  few  hats 
that  remained   seemed  to    be   ashamed  of  themselves. 
During  a  temporary  cessation  of  the  rain  we  had  dress  parade  be 
fore  a  large  crowd  of  people  who  had  gathered  about  us. 


TIIIUTEKNTIL    3M.SS.      VOLS.  15 

1861.  At  i  P.M.  resumed  the  inarch  in  company  with  the 

Saturday,  sixteenth  Indiana  regiment  and  Captain  Matthew's  bat 
tery,  which  accompanied  us  from  Darnestown.  liivou- 
acked  at  Boonesboro'  after  a  march  of  seventeen  miles.  During  the 
last  two  days  a  pleasant  rivalry  had  been  excited  as  to  the  marching 
abilities  of  the  two  regiments.  Although  we  were  much  heavier 
loaded  than  the  Twelfth,  we  were  in  too  good  shape  to  be  beaten. 
Both  regiments  enjoyed  the  excitement. 

Marched  at  9  A.M.  for  Williamsport,  sixteen  miles, 
Sunday,  where  we  arrived  about  4  P.M.  Pitched  our  tents  for 
Oct.  13.  the  first  time  since  leaving  Darnestown.  Wondered 
what  had  become  of  General  McClellan's  order,  of 
September  i5th,  about  marching  on  Sundays.  Later  on,  when  his 
downfall  was  announced,  it  was  no  surprise  to  the  men  who  marched 

this  day. 

Monday,  Put  things  to  rights  in  camp.     Paymaster  arrived  ;  he 

Oct.  14.         to  whom  we  all  bow  with  obsequious  respect.     A  pay 
master's  arrival  will   produce  more  joy  in    camp   than 
is  said  to   have    been   produced    in    heaven    over    the    one    sinner 
that   repenteth. 

Received  the  first  instalment  of  mint-drops  from  the 

Tuesday,       government,    and    found   them  a   balm   for   every  woe. 

They  threw  a  lustre  on  the  camp  such  as  we  had  not 

seen  since  the  last  brass-mounted  hat  had  departed.     Company  B 

detailed  for  provost  duty  in  the  town. 

Changed  camp  about  half  a  mile  farther  from  town,  and 
Monday,  to  a  mucn  better  spot,  where  we  remained  until  March 
i,  1862.  A  very  comfortable  camp  it  was.  When  the 
tents  of  the  men  were  pitched,  an  excavation  was  made,  in  area,  the 
size  of  the  tent,  and  about  two  feet  deep.  About  a  foot  of  this  space 
was  filled  with  clean  straw,  so  that  when  a  fire  was  built,  it  was  as 
comfortable  as  any  house.  The  stove,  which  sat  a  foot  or  two  above 
the  ground,  was  shaped  like  a  tunnel,  the  large  end  resting  on  the 
floor,  while  the  smaller  and  longer  end,  containing  a  damper,  ex 
tended  through  the  roof.  This  was  made  of  sheet  iron,  having  a 
door  a  foot  or  more  above  the  ground,  to  receive  the  wood.  It 


IB  THREE  YEARS  IN  THE  ARMY. 

could  be  made  red-hot  in  two  minutes,  and  many  were  the  boots  that 
suffered  thereby.  Huts  were  built  for  the  officers. 

The  regiment  was  aroused  at  1.30  o'clock  this  morn- 
1861.  ing  by  the  beating  of  the  "long  roll,"  and  hastily 

Friday,  marched  to  the  river,  where  it  was  ferried  across  for  an 
expedition  into  "  Ole  Virginny."  One  platoon  contin 
ued  on  until  it  came  in  sight  of  Martinsburg,  when  it  returned  and 
rejoined  the  regiment,  and  with  it  returned  to  the  camp  at  Williamsport. 

Companies  K,  C,  and  I  rejoined  the  regiment.  The 
Thursday,  c|uty  which  we  performed  this  winter  was  a  very  im 
portant  and  a  very  difficult  one,  as  General  Stonewall 
Jackson,  at  his  own  request  (according  to  the  official  reports  of  the 
Confederacy),  received  orders  to  do  all  the  damage  he  could  to  the 
dams  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  canal,  and  to  harass  the  enemy 
in  any  way  his  genius  could  suggest.  General  Jackson  was  no  slug 
gard,  as  the  world  knows,  and  he  made  it  lively  for  us  to  prevent  him 
from  carrying  out  his  purposes.  While  we  were  at  Williamsport, 
Colonel  Leonard  was  in  charge  of  all  the  troops  on  the  Potomac, 
from  Harper's  Ferry  to  Oldtown,  a  distance  of  more  than  one 
hundred  miles,  by  the  river,  while  the  duties  of  the  regiment 
included  guarding  the  Potomac  river  from  Harper's  Ferry  to 
Sir  John's  Run,  a  distance  of  more  than  fifty  miles.  The  work 
was  so  well  done  as  to  prompt  a  commendation  from  General 
Banks.  Prior  to  our  arrival,  this  part  of  the  river  was  protected 
by  troops  supplied  with  the  old  smooth-bore  musket  of  a  very 
antiquated  pattern,  with  too  little  power  to  carry  a  bullet  across 
the  river,  so  that  they  were  a  constant  source  of  ridicule  by 
the  enemy,  who  were  much  better  armed,  and  who  amused  them 
selves  by  coming  down  to  the  river  daily,  and  placing  the  thumb 
of  the  right  hand  to  the  nose,  and  the  thumb  of  the  left  hand 
to  the  little  finger  of  the  right  hand,  would  make  rapid  motions 
with  the  fingers,  to  the  great  exasperation  of  the  Union  men,  who 
were  powerless  to  prevent  it.  After  we  were  placed  there  with  our 
Enfield  rifles,  there  was  less  time  spent  in  arranging  their  fingers, 
and  more  in  the  use  of  their  feet.  As  they  tried  one  point  after 
another  from  Falling  Waters  to  the  end  of  our  line  of  fifty  miles, 


THIItTEKXm    MASS.     VOLS.  17 

1861.  they  were  prompted  to  inquire  what  regiments  were  guard 

ing  the  river,  and  when  the  oft-repeated  answer  was  "  the 
Thirteenth  Mass.,"  they  were  astonished  at  our  number,  and  were  in 
terested  to  know  what  arms  we  carried.  A  Virginia  paper,  published 
in  Martinsburg,  brought  across  the  river  by  a  Union  man,  contained 
an  editorial  warning  the  people  about  "  trusting  themselves  too  near 
the  river,  as  there  was  a  regiment  from  Massachusetts,  several  thou 
sand  strong,  with  a  gun  that  could  carry  like  a  piece  of  artillery." 

In  order  to  carry  out  so  extensive  a  system  of  pickets  it  was  nec 
essary  to  make  large  and  frequent  details  of  men  from  each  com 
pany,  the  particular  dates  of  which  are  omitted,  and  only  the  larger 
ones  mentioned. 

Co.  I)  sent  to  Hagerstown.  Returned  on  the  7th. 
Nov.  5.  \\\  of  Company  B,  except  twelve  men,  returned  from 

provost  duty  in  town,  to  camp. 

Nov.  26.  Companies  A,  B,  E,  and  H  sent  to  Hancock. 

Dec.  7.  Company  C  sent  to  Dam  No.  5. 

Dec.  8.  Co.  G  sent  to  Dam  No.  5  to  relieve  Co.  C. 

Company  K  sent  to  Dam  No.  4,  but  was  overtaken 
Dec.  ii.  by  an  order  to  return.  Co.  C  sent  to  Dam  No.  5,  but 
returned  before  night. 

Companies  D  and  K  sent  to  Dam  No.  5,  but  re- 
Dec.  14. 

turned  same  night. 

Dec.  17.  Company  I  sent  on  picket. 

Dec.  1 8.  Regiment  sent  to  Falling  Waters. 

Dec.  19.  Returned  to  camp  at  Williamsport. 

Dec.  20.  Companies  D,  C,  and  G  returned  to  Williamsport. 

1862. 

Jan.  2.  Companies  K,  A,  1>,  and  H  arrived  from  Hancock. 

Jan.  5.  Companies  C,  D,  I,  and  K  sent  to  Hancock. 

Jan.  10.  Companies  C,  D,  I,  and  K  returned  from  Hancock. 

Feb.  12.  Company  D  sent  to  Hagerstown. 

Feb.  24.  Company  D  returned  from  Hagerstown. 

Feb.  26.  Company  D  sent  on  a  reconnoissance  across  the  river. 

Returned  the  same  day. 

It  was  d — n  the  hats  in  summer,  and  Dam  No.  5  in  winter. 


18  TJIItKK     YEARS     IN     THE    ARMY. 

l862-  Among  the  duties  that  required  our  daily  attention  was 

the  ferry  which  was  run  across  the  river,  daily  at  one  o'clock, 
unless  circumstances  prevented,  or  there  was  no  one  on  the  other  side 
to  avail  themselves  of  this  convenience.  Of  course  this  was  attended 
with  considerable  risk,  as  it  was  very  well  known  on  the  Virginia  side 
that  it  was  being  done.  1 1  almost  always  happened  that  some  one 
was  on  the  bank  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  come  across.  Some 
of  the  farmers'  wives  and  daughters  were  allowed  to  cross  with  eggs 
or  poultry  to  sell.  Of  course  they  were  closely  questioned.  No  toll- 
rates  had  been  fixed,  so  the  guard  used  his  discretion,  and  as  the 
toll  was  graduated  according  to  what  they  brought,  it  frequently 
happened  that  the  table  of  a  private  soldier  was  ornamented  with 
something  besides  silverware  and  flowers. 

Hagerstown,  the  place  where  we  first  landed  on  our  journey  from 
home,  was  only  six  miles  away,  and  was  the  shire  town  of  Washing 
ton  County.  Many  were  the  visits  we  paid  that  place,  and  many  the 
acquaintances  we  made  among  the  people.  The  provost  marshal  of 
the  to\vn  was  an  officer  detailed  from  the  Thirteenth,  and  his  ad 
ministration  of  martial  law  was  liberal  as  it  was  sensible,  though  when 
occasion  required  he  could  be  as  inexorable  as  circumstances  needed. 
Company  1)  was  also  stationed  there  part  of  the  time,  therefore  no 
lack  of  inducement  existed  to  make  it  a  pleasant  place  to  visit. 

Our  service  in  Williamsport  formed  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
regiment.  Advantage  was  taken  of  the  liberty  allowed  us,  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  people,  and  many  pleasant  acquaintances  ripened 
into  strong  friendships.  Calls  were  frequently  made  for  the  services 
of  our  glee-club,  while  the  band  was  often  heard  in  its  streets. 
The  homes  of  the  people  were  opened  in  friendly  hospitality, 
and  the  prejudice  against  "  Massachusetts  abolitionists,"  as  we 
were  called,  gradually  disappeared,  so  that  when  the  time  arrived 
for  us  to  cross  the  river,  the  crowd  to  see  us  off  was  great  enough 
to  remind  us  of  home.  Indeed,  as  the  last  company  was  ferried 
across,  it  was  a  sight  to  see  the  waving  of  handkerchiefs,  and  to 
hear  the  shouts  of  "farewell"  and  "good-luck"  that  greeted  our 
departure.  Thus  we  crossed  the  Potomac  river  on  Saturday,  the 
first  day  of  March,  1862. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  19 

1862.  It  seems  proper  at  this  point  to  say  a  word  or  two 

about  our  experience  in  Maryland.  We  found  the  peo 
ple  cordial  in  their  greeting  and  very  hospitable,  except  in  cases 
where  the  sentiment  was  against  the  Union.  It  meant  a  good 
deal  to  express  Union  sentiments  or  do  acts  of  kindness  to  soldiers 
as  they  marched  through  the  country,  when  some  watchful  person 
stood  ready  to  turn  informer  as  soon  as  the  enemy  approached. 
Many  were  the  acts  of  kindness  done  to  soldiers  worn  out  with 
fatigue  or  overcome  with  the  heat  of  the  sun.  Though  thirty  years 
have  passed,  we  have  not  forgotten  how  much  the  Union  people  of 
Maryland  did  to  lessen  the  hardships  of  soldiers.  When  we  crossed 
the  river  we  entered  the  land  of  our  foes,  where  the  cheers  and 
kind  wishes  of  the  people  were  reserved  for  those  who  had  their 
love  and  sympathy. 


20  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    II. 

1862.  HAVING  said  the  last  "good-by  "  to  our  friends  across 

Saturday,      the  rjver  we  took  Up  the  lme  of  march,  about  dusk,  for 
*'      Martinsburg,   twelve  miles,   which  point  we   reached   a 
little  before  midnight. 

During  our  stay  in  Williamsport  we  had  accumulated  more  things 
than  were  necessary  for  our  comfort,  as  we  became  painfully  aware 
of  before  our  journey's  end.  We  were  now  on  the  "sacred  soil" 
of  Virginia.  Whether  it  is  better  than  any  other  soil  could  not  be 
determined  in  the  darkness ;  up  to  this  time  our  knowledge  of  it 
was  limited  to  the  experience  at  Harper's  Ferry,  the  skirmish  at 
Bolivar  Heights,  and  the  reconnoissances  from  Hancock  and  Sir 
John's  Run,  so  we  were  not  experts  on  the  subject. 

The  Sixteenth  Indiana,  a  company  of  cavalry  and  two  pieces  of 
artillery,  crossed  the  river  and  followed  us  to  Martinsburg. 

While  marching  in  Maryland  we  felt  secure  from  rebel  interference 
when  falling  out,  overcome  with  fatigue  or  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
but  now  we  were  likely  at  any  moment  to  hear  the  unwelcome  sound 
of  the  enemy's  musketry.  A  man  must  hesitate,  therefore,  before 
he  separated  himself  from  his  regiment.  As  it  was  dark  we  had 
plenty  of  opportunity  to  reflect  on  what  might  be  our  reception  by 
the  "F.F.V's"  of  Martinsburg.  They  might  find  some  objection 
to  our  entering  town  without  paying  toll  —  the  toll  that  some  of  us 
must  pay  before  our  three  years  were  up. 

Company  A  was  well  ahead  as  advance  guard,  and  as  long  as 
we  heard  nothing  from  them  our  minds  remained  at  ease  except 
when  we  thought  of  our  knapsacks,  which  had  increased  in  size,  like 
the  national  debt. 

It  appears  that  when  Company  A  arrived  within  half  a  mile  of 
the  town  it  left  the  road,  making  a  detour  and  entering  it  from  the 


MAP     N9  2 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  21 

1862.  south  on  the  Winchester  road,  while  the  regiment  entered 

it  from  the  north.  The  quartermaster,  or  some  other 
officer,  rode  forward  from  the  regiment  to  overtake  Company  A.  As 
he  entered  from  the  north  the  company  was  entering  from  the  south. 
Each  mistook  the  other.  Company  A  supposed  him  to  be  a  rebel 
picket  endeavoring  to  escape  out  of  town  and  fired,  whereupon,  sup 
posing  it  to  be  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  he  turned  about  in  great  haste 
and  rode  back  to  the  regiment.  For  a  few  moments  there  was  con 
siderable  confusion,  but  the  officer  in  command  stopped  the  firing 
until  he  could  ascertain  the  facts,  which  were  soon  learned,  and  quiet 
restored.  As  no  one  was  hurt  it  ended  in  a  good  laugh,  though  it 
has  never  been  settled  as  to  "  who  took  Martinsburg." 

After  the  regiment  entered  the  town  the  band  played  "  Yankee 
Doodle,"  "  Glory  Hallelujah,"  "  Red,  White,  and  Blue,"  and  other 
patriotic  airs  for  the  benefit  of  those  benighted  citizens  who  pre 
ferred  the  secesh  song,  "  Maryland,  My  Maryland,"  which  we  heard 
so  frequently  sung  during  the  winter. 

There  is  an  interesting  story  about  this  song  that  deserves  to  be 
preserved.  It  was  composed  by  James  R.  Randall,  and  was  pro 
nounced  by  James  Russell  Lowell  to  be  the  finest  poem  inspired  by 
the  war.  In  April,  1861,  Mr.  Randall,  a  native  of  Maryland,  then 
residing  in  Louisiana,  published  "An  Kxiled  Son's  Appeal "  to  his 
mother  State  to  cast  her  fortunes  with  the  seceding  States  of  the 
South.  The  political  feeling  was  intense  in  Maryland,  and  the  stirring 
words  of  this  poem  fired  the  hearts  of  thousands  of  her  people. 
The  idea  of  wedding  it  to  music  was  suggested,  but  its  peculiar 
metre  refused  to  adapt  itself  to  any  familiar  air  that  was  thought  of, 
until  one  evening  in  June  1861,  in  Baltimore,  at  a  social  meeting  of 
well-known  persons  in  sympathy  with  the  South,  Miss  Hettie  Cary, 
desirous  of  making  the  meeting  a  notable  success,  suggested  that  the 
words  "  Maryland,  My  Maryland,"  which  at  that  time  constituted 
the  chief  mental  pabulum  of  the  Southerners,  be  adapted  to  music. 
In  order  to  render  the  suggestion  more  impressive  she  declaimed 
the  verses,  when  her  sister  Jennie  exclaimed,  "  Lauriger  Horatius," 
the  well-known  college  song,  and  Miss  Hettie  Cary  at  once  sang  the 
words  to  that  music,  whereupon  everybody  present  joined,  making 


22  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  the  building  ring  with  the  great  hymn.  The  two  Misses 

Gary  and  a  brother  shortly  afterward  went  South  and  did 
not  return  until  after  the  war.  On  their  way  through  Virginia  they 
stopped  for  the  night  at  Manassas  and  were  serenaded  by  the  band  of 
the  celebrated  Washington  Artillery  of  New  Orleans,  whose  huts,  by 
the  way,  we  occupied  later  on  at  Centreville.  When  the  band  ceased 
playing  a  voice  exclaimed,  "  Let's  hear  a  woman's  voice  !  "  And  Miss 
Jennie  Gary,  standing  in  the  tent  door,  sang  "  My  Maryland."  The 
refrain  was  at  once  taken  up  and  sung  by  hundreds  of  rebel  throats. 
After  this  scene  nothing  could  have  kept  the  song  from  living  and  grow 
ing  into  the  power  it  speedily  attained.  Miss  Hettie  Gary  became  the 
wife  of  General  Pegram,  and  subsequently  of  Prof.  H.  Newell  Martin. 

A  good  many  of  the  houses  in  the  town  were  found  to  be  empty, 
the  occupants  having  fled  to  parts  unknown,  whereupon  we  took 
possession  of  them  for  quarters  and  proceeded  to  make  ourselves 
comfortable. 

Company  B,  with  a  company  from  the  Twelfth  Indiana,  was  detailed 
for  provost  duty. 

It  snowed  hard  in  the  afternoon,  turning  to  rain  before  night.  A 
good  New  England  day.  We  found  the  population  of  Martinsburg 
to  be  five  or  six  thousand  inhabitants,  and  an  important  station  on 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad.  On  receiving  information  of 
our  approach  the  enemy  destroyed  forty-eight  locomotive  engines, 
and  the  debris  thereof  was  indeed  a  sight  to  see. 

Martinsburg  was  the  residence  of  Mr.  Faulkner,  a  man  who  had 
previously  been  distinguished  by  an  appointment  as  Minister  to 
France.  His  family  having  little  faith  in  Yankee  soldiers,  requested 
a  guard  for  the  protection  of  themselves  and  their  property,  and  cer 
tain  men  of  our  regiment  were  detailed  for  the  purpose.  When  the 
time  came  for  cooking  coffee,  request  was  made  for  privilege  to  use 
the  kitchen  stove,  but  it  was  refused.  The  Union  must  be  preserved 
and  soldiers  must  have  their  coffee.  The  words  "  poltroons  "  and 
"cowards"  and  "  vulgar  Yankees  "  are  not  pleasant  words  to  hear, 
even  when  uttered  by  a  pretty  woman.  In  this  case  they  were  spoken 
in  French,  whereupon  one  of  the  boys  informed  madam  that  he  also 
spoke  that  language,  which  information  so  astonished  her  that  she 
was  glad  to  retire  to  the  privacy  of  the  upper  rooms,  leaving  the 


ril    J/V1.S.S.     VOLS.  23 

"vulgar  Yankees"  in  possession  of  the  lower  floor.  The  boys  pro 
ceeded  without  further  delay  to  cook  their  coffee  and  to  use  the  old 
man's  library  for  their  mental  sustenance,  Good  books,  good  cof 
fee,  and  a  well-filled  pipe  will  broaden  the  mind  of  a  soldier  so  as  to 
make  him  capable  of  swallowing  .a  good  deal  of  abuse. 

The  feeling  against  the  Union  was  very  bitter  in  this  town,  as  was 
expected  it  would  be.  The  sentiment  was  not  unanimous,  however. 
We  were  made  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  sentiments  of  the 
people  through  two  boys  from  this  town  who  had  enlisted  as  drummers 
in  the  Thirteenth,  and  who  proved  themselves  to  be  good  soldiers. 
Their  escape  from  Martinsburg  and  joining  us  at  Williamsport,  to 
gether  with  the  sufferings  of  their  family  for  maintaining  Union 
sentiments,  would  make  a  thrilling  story  if  published. 

Washing-day.      A  soldier's  washing-day  is  any  day ; 

some  day  when  he  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer,  or  when 
Monday, 
March  *  became  convinced  that  "dirt  is  something  in  the  wrong 

place."  The  colonel  had  us  out  this  afternoon  on  battal 
ion  drill,  in  the  mud,  to  show  the  "F.F.V's"  what  a  Massachusetts 
regiment  could  do  ;  and  a  goodly  sight  it  is  to  see,  when  the  regiment 
is  well  drilled.  The  colonel  enjoyed  it  more  than  we  did. 

General  Williams  assumed  command  of  the  brigade  to-day. 
Troops  are  arriving  daily  and  molasses  is  Si. 75  per  gallon. 

We  were  anxious  at  this  time  to  see  a  regular  thoroughbred 
"  F.F.V.,"  about  whom  we  had  heard  so  much.  Therefore  some 
watched  while  others  preyed,  and  those  who  preyed  submitted  sam 
ples  of  their  success  for  judgment.  They  were  complimented  for 
their  earnestness,  but  informed  that  the  "  First  Families  of  Vir 
ginia "  did  not  have  feathers.  They  bore  their  disappointment  with 
the  tranquillity  which  possesses  a  man  who  has  breakfasted  on 
broiled  chicken.  In  these  searches  for  "  Full  Feathered  Vir 
ginians  "  the  boys  declared  that  they  always  met  an  officer's  servant 
at  the  same  coop. 

With  the  rest  of  the  brigade  we  marched  to  Bunker 
Wednesday,  Hill,  ten  miles,  where  we  arrived  late  in  the  afternoon. 
March  5.       The  march  was  slow,  owing  to  the  mud.     The  soil  was 
not  too  "sacred  "  for  mud.     Bunker  Hill  is  a  small  vil 
lage  with  scattering  houses,  one  church,  and  a  deserted  mill.     Two 


24  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  companies,  B  and  C,  occupied  the  church,  and  company 

K,  the  mill. 

In  a  report  made  by  General  Jackson  to  Gen.  Jos.  E.  Johnston, 
March  6,  1862,  he  says  that  "Yesterday  the  enemy  advanced  from 
Martinsburg  to  Bunker  Hill.  So  Leonard,  the  commander,  has 
effected  a  junction  with  Charlestown  forces  via  the  Charlestown  and 
Smithfield  road.  Leonard,  before  leaving  Martinsburg,  sent  his 
baggage  in  the  direction  of  Williamsport.  His  column  was  about 
two  miles  long,  composed  of  seven  regiments  of  infantry,  four  com 
panies  of  cavalry,  and  probably  six  pieces  of  artillery."  Well- 
informed  as  he  was  about  our  movements,  he  omitted  to  mention 
the  articles  left  behind  by  the  rank  and  file  before  we  left  Martins 
burg,  though  we  still  had  three  days'  rations,  forty  rounds  of  ammuni 
tion,  and  a  gun  called  the  Enfield  rifle.  On  our  arrival  at  Bunker  Hill, 
we  found  eight  rebels  in  a  church,  and  retained  them  as  prisoners. 
This  shows  how  unadvisable  it  is  to  go  to  church  on  Tuesdays. 

We  found  at  Bunker  Hill  no  monument  to  mark  the  place  where 
Warren  fell,  —  probably  because  he  preferred  to  fall  in  Massachu 
setts. 

Charlestown  and  Bunker  Hill  !  The  Virginians  were  so  bound  up 
in  the  sacredness  of  their  soil  they  were  unable  to  appreciate  the 
sacredness  attached  to  these  two  names. 

A  detail  of  Company  D  was  left  behind  at  Martinsburg  to  ac 
company  the  wagon  train. 

While  at  this  place  an  incident  occurred  to  sweeten  the  toil  of 
drilling  and  guard  duty  of  four  of  the  boys.  During  the  early  part 
of  our  service,  details  were  frequently  made  from  the  regiment  to 
guard  property,  or  the  residences  of  citizens  who  feared  depreda 
tions  by  soldiers.  Occasionally  a  detail  of  this  kind  would  turn  out 
to  be  a  "  soft  snap" 

The  following  unique  experience  deserves  to  be  recorded  as  evi 
dence  of  our  appreciation  of  the  unusual  kindness  shown.  The 
afternoon  of  the  day  following  our  arrival,  a  Mr.  W.  Holliday  made 
application  for  a  guard  of  protection  for  himself  and  wife,  two  people 
advanced  in  years,  living  about  a  mile  from  camp  ;  and  four  men 
were  thereupon  detailed  for  that  duty,  and  returned  with  Mr.  Holli- 


TII1UTKKNTH    MASS.     VOL  8.  25 

1862.  day  to  his  form.     He  was  also  the  owner  of  a  mill  near  by, 

and  appeared  to  be  a  man  in  prosperous  circumstances. 
His  son,  a  clergyman,  was  at  that  time  preaching  in  Baltimore.  Upon 
their  arrival  the  boys  proceeded  to  arrange  their  duties,  expecting,  of 
course,  to  stand  guard  the  same  as  though  they  were  in  camp.  To 
this  plan  the  old  gentleman  strongly  objected,  saying  that  they  must 
remain  about  the  house  while  he  would  walk  around  the  farm,  and  if 
any  soldiers  were  in  sight,  would  let  them  (the  guard)  know,  when 
they  were  to  order  the  trespassers  away.  There  seemed  to  be  no  way 
of  settling  the  matter  except  by  agreeing  to  this  plan,  which  practi 
cally  relieved  them  of  all  duty.  Having  been  introduced  to  Mrs.  Hol- 
liday,  a  kind,  motherly  old  lady,  and  having  observed  the  evidences 
of  culture  and  refinement  which  existed  about  the  house,  the  boys 
proceeded  to  enjoy  themselves  by  sitting  on  the  piazza  or  strolling 
about  the  place  as  best  pleased  them  until  supper  was  announced, 
when  they  were  ushered  into  the  dining-room.  They  had  drawn 
three  days'  rations  before  starting,  expecting  to  feed  themselves, 
but  the  old  people  wouldn't  listen  to  it  for  a  minute.  How  pleasant  it 
was  once  more  to  sit  down  to  a  table  covered  with  a  white  cloth,  and 
plenty  to  eat  and  drink.  What  a  contrast  the  clean  white  plates  made 
to  the  tin  plates  of  the  boys,  already  battered  with  hard  usuage.  In 
spite  of  craving  appetites,  they  were  unable  to  exhaust  the  supply 
of  food,  while  it  seemed  to  please  the  old  couple  to  witness  the  en 
joyment  expressed  in  every  mouthful  the  boys  ate.  After  supper 
they  all  adjourned  to  the  sitting-room,  and  before  a  blazing  wood  fire 
sat  and  talked  the  evening  away.  When  bedtime  arrived  they 
were  ushered  upstairs  by  Mr.  Holliday,  who  feared  very  much  that 
they  might  not  like  the  accommodations,  as  some  accident  had  hap 
pened  to  one  of  his  bedsteads,  by  which  he  was  compelled  to  give 
two  of  the  party  a  double  bed,  and  the  others  a  pile  of  mattresses 
about  three  feet  high.  They  very  soon  eased  the  old  gentleman's  mind 
on  that  score,  as  they  saw  the  pains  and  trouble  he  had  been  to  in 
looking  after  their  comfort.  What  a  luxury  it  was  to  get  their  clothes 
off  and  crawl  in  between  sheets  once  more.  "  Good -night,  boys  !  and 
don't  get  up  until  I  call  you,"  were  his  last  words.  In  the  morning, 
at  half-past  eight,  they  heard  his  rap  on  the  door.  How  pleased  he 


26  TI/KKK     YKAliti     IN     THE    ARMY. 

1862.  was  to  learn  that  they  had  had  a  glorious  sleep  !     What  a 

kindly  greeting  they  received  from  Mrs.  Holliday  on  en 
tering  the  dining-room,  and  how  interested  were  her  inquiries  about 
their  comfort  !  Even  the  logs  in  the  fire-place  sputtered  a  welcome  ; 
and  such  a  breakfast  was  laid  before  them  !  There  was  hominy  and 
bacon,  hot  biscuits  and  coffee,  smoking  hot  potatoes,  and  broiled 
chicken  ;  and  such  an  abundance  !  Certainly  this  must  all  be  a 
dream,  from  which  they  would  soon  awake  to  reality.  To  tackle  such 
a  lay-out  as  this,  after  living  on  hardtack  and  pork,  required  no 
urging.  After  breakfast,  they  retired  to  the  sitting-room  to  sit  by  the 
fire  while  the  old  gentleman  went  on  guard.  This  was  the  only 
thing  that  troubled  the  boys ;  but  there  was  no  help  for  it,  as  he 
insisted  in  doing  so  in  spite  of  their  earnest  protestations  to  the 
contrary.  With  books  and  games,  they  whiled  the  time  away  until 
dinner.  On  finishing  breakfast  they  thought  it  hardly  possible  to 
ever  want  to  eat  again,  but  they  sat  down  and  packed  themselves 
solid  with  food.  This  twenty-four  hours  was  a  sample  of  the  three 
days  they  spent  at  this  hospitable  mansion.  On  the  afternoon  of 
the  last  day  Mr.  Holliday  came  in  and  informed  them  that  a  soldier 
was  approaching  the  house.  They  saw  it  was  no  use  to  drive 
him  away,  for  he  was  evidently  clothed  with  authority  to  drive  them 
out  of  this  paradise.  He  produced  his  "  marching  orders,"  which 
required  them  to  report  to  camp.  On  the  following  morning  they 
were  up  early  to  eat  their  last  breakfast ;  after  which  the  old  gentle 
man  accompanied  them  to  camp  to  testify  to  their  usefulness  and  the 
comfort  they  had  been  by  their  presence.  While  the  boys  were 
snoring  in  bed,  Mrs.  Holliday  had  spent  a  good  part  of  the  night  in 
baking  biscuits  and  cake  for  them  to  take  back  to  camp  for  distribu 
tion  among  their  comrades.  If  the  dear  old  lady  could  have  heard 
the  cheers  that  went  up  as  the  contents  of  that  bag  were  exposed, 
her  heart  would  have  throbbed  with  joy. 

General  Banks  paid  the    brigade  a  visit.      What  his 
fy>     presence  betokened  we  were  unable  to  say,  though  the 

March  6. 

camp  gossips  amused  themselves  by  constructing  stories 
that  would  have  honored  Munchausen. 

A  rebel  deserter  came  into  camp  to-day,  loaded  to  the   muzzle 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  27 

1862.  with  lies  for  our  digestion.     \\"e  accepted  a  good  deal 

of  nonsense  from  these  deserters,  in  our  simplicity  at  this 
time,  that  didn't  pass  later  on.  He  told  great  stories  about  men 
looking  for  opportunities  to  desert ;  but  we  didn't  see  much  of  a 
procession  of  these  fellows,  so  the  war  was  continued. 

While  the  regiment  was  out  on  battalion  drill  in  the 
Friday,  afternoon,  word  was  received  that  four  hundred  rebel 
March  7.  cavalry  were  within  four  miles,  whereupon  we  were 
double-quicked  through  the  mud,  across  a  brook, 
and  down  the  road,  expecting  to  have  a  brush  with  the 
"  Johnnies."  Just  as  we  were  halted  and  our  guns  loaded,  we 
were  met  by  regiments  returning  ;  so  back  through  the  mud  we 
marched  to  camp,  our  feet  soaked  and  our  legs  covered  with  the 
"  sacred  soil." 

Three  men  shot  on  picket  through  their  own  carelessness,  it  is 
said.  Men  should  never  go  on  picket :  it  is  dangerous. 

An  order  was  issued  to-day  for  the  detail  left  at  U'illiamsport  to 
report  to  the  regiment.  An  order  was  also  issued  that  when  men 
are  obliged  to  fall  out  on  a  march  they  must  be  provided  with 
passes. 

The  nights  are  so  cold,  we  wondered  where  the  man  was  who  said 
Virginia  was  in  the  tropics. 

The  President  to-day   issued  the  following  order  for 
M*  ^h^'      ^e  orgam/'ati(m  °f  the   active   portion  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  into  four  army  corps,  from  the  divisions  of 
Hanks  and  Shields  : 

PRESIDENT'S  GENERAL  WAR 
ORDER  No.  2. 

KXKHMIVK  MANSION, 
WASHINGTON,  March  S,   1862. 

Ordered,  I.  That  the  major-general  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
proceed  forthwith  to  organise  that  part  of  the  said  army  destined  to  enter  upon 
active  operations  (including  the  reserve,  hut  excluding  the  troops  to  he  left  in  the 
fortifications  about  Washington),  into  four  army  corps,  to  he  commanded  accord 
ing  to  seniority  of  rank  as  follows : 

First  Corps  to  consist  of  four  divisions,  and  to  he  commanded  hy  Major-Gen. 
I.  McDowell. 


28  THREE     YE AKS    I.V    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Second  Corps  to  consist  of  three  divisions,  and  to  be  commanded 

by  Brigadier-Gen.  E.  V.  Sumner. 

Third  Corps  to  consist  of  three  divisions,  and  to  be  commanded  by  Brigadier- 
Gen.  S.  P.  Heintzelman. 

Fourth  Corps  to  consist  of  three  divisions,  and  to  be  commanded  by  Brigadier- 
Gen.  E.  D.  Keyes. 

2.  That  the  divisions  now  commanded  by  the  officers  above  assigned  to  the  com 
mand  of  army  corps  shall  be  embraced  in  and  form  part  of  their  respective  corps- 

3.  The  forces  left  for  the  defence  of  Washington  will  be  placed  in  command 
of  Brigadier-Gen.  James  S.  Wadsworth,  who  shall  also  be  military  governor  of 
the  District  of  Columbia. 

4.  That  this  order  be  executed  with  such  promptness  and  despatch  as  not  to 
delay  the  commencement  of  operations  already  directed  to  be  undertaken  by  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

5.  A  Fifth  Army  Corps,  to  be  commanded  by  Major-Gen.  N.  P.  Banks,  will 
be  formed  from  his  own  and  General  Shields'  (late  General  Lander's)  divisions. 

(Signed)  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  order  that  we  were  to  be  a  part  of  the  Fifth 
Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Strict  orders  were  issued  by  direction  of  General 
Sunday,  Williams  that  no  commissioned  officers  nor  privates  are 
March  9.  to  pass  the  picket-guard  without  a  written  pass.  Wagons 

not  to  be  sent  out  without  sufficient  guard.  Guards  or 
detachments  with  loaded  muskets  to  discharge  them  between  9  and 
10  A.M.,  at  a  designated  spot.  That  the  safety  of  the  command  de 
pends  on  the  observance  of  this  last  order. 

Hard  bread  getting  scarce.  Flour  issued  in  its  place.  Some  of 
the  boys  clubbed  together  on  drawing  their  flour,  and  had  it  baked 
into  bread  by  -one  of  the  farmers'  wives,  paying  therefor  in  coffee, 
which  was  rated  at  $1.50  per  pound  at  the  store.  What  a  glorious 
opportunity  for  speculation  ! 

Orders  issued  to  cook  three  days'  rations.  Each  offi- 
Monday,  cer  and  soldier  to  see  that  everything  is  in  perfect  order, 
March  10.  with  forty  rounds  of  ammunition  in  the  cartridge-boxes. 

If  there  were  any  Quakers  in  the  regiment,  it  was  a  good 
time  for  them  to  start  for  Philadelphia.  We  expected  to  march  at 
10  A.M.,  but  as  it  rained  hard  the  order  was  countermanded.  The 
war  was  therefore  prolonged  one  day. 


TIlIItTKKXTH    MASS.     VOLfi.  29 

l862  Marched     to    Stephenson's    Depot,    six    miles,    and 

Tuesday,  bivouacked  in  the  woods  about  four  miles  from  Winches- 
March  ii.  ter.  As  we  marched  out  of  Bunker  Hill  the  usual  crowd 
gathered  to  see  the  troops  pass  along.  Among  the  num 
ber  was  a  young  man  who  gave  utterance  to  his  rebellious  thoughts 
by  irritating  remarks  as  to  what  we  were  likely  to  do  on  meeting 
Ashby's  cavalry.  When  the  price  of  salt  is  $30.00  per  bag,  it  is  not 
strange  that  the  language  of  the  people  should  smack  of  an  unusual 
freshness. 

Our  march  was  frequently  obstructed  by  rebel  cavalry  under 
Ashby ;  but  no  one  was  hurt,  though  it  looked  rather  shaky  at  times. 

The  great  caution  that  was  observed  in  our  march  to-day  made 
it  late  in  the  afternoon  before  we  went  into  camp.  Details  were 
made  for  camp  and  picket-guard,  camp-fires  were  lit,  coffee  cooked, 
and  the  proper  degree  of  thankfulness  expressed  by  those  who 
escaped  guard  duty. 

After  supper  the  men  gathered  round  the  fires  for  a  smoke  and  to 
listen  to  the  gossip  of  the  regiment.  It  frequently  happens  that  some 
one  will  invent  a  story,  requesting  the  strictest  secrecy,  in  order  that 
it  may  travel  the  faster.  In  the  course  of  twenty- four  hours  or  so 
it  will  return,  not  exactly  as  it  went  forth,  but  so  enlarged  and  ex 
aggerated  that  you  could  scarcely  recognize  the  original.  Frequent 
repetition  of  this  amusement  very  soon  created  such  disbelief  in  all 
camp  stories,  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  one  well  started  except  by 
the  exercise  of  considerable  ingenuity. 

The  rattle   of  drums  and  the  sweet  singing  of  birds 
announced  that  morn  was  here.     The  army  was  to  move 

on  Winchester  at  once,  so  we  hastily  cooked  our  coffee, 
March  12. 

and  as  quickly  as  possible  ate  our  breakfast.  There 
was  no  time  to  spare,  as  orders  to  "  fall  in  "  were  heard  in  every 
direction.  Orders  were  received  for  the  Thirteenth  to  take  the 
advance  of  the  column  as  skirmishers.  Winchester  was  four  miles 
away,  occupied  by  25,000  troops  under  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  well- 
fortified  by  earthworks.  As  soon  as  we  were  out  of  the  woods  the 
regiment  was  deployed  as  skirmishers,  and  marched  in  that  order  in 
quick  time  across  fields,  over  fences  and  stone  walls,  fording  brooks 


30  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  or  creeks,  preserving  distances  and  line  as  well  as  we  could 

under  such  disadvantages.  The  sensations  we  experi 
enced  on  this  bright,  beautiful  morning  are  not  likely  to  be  forgotten. 
It  was  very  warm,  and  the  march  a  hard  one,  because  the  line  was  ir 
regularly  obstructed.  That  is  to  say,  while  one  part  would  be  marching 
on  the  smooth  surface  of  the  ground,  another  part  might  be  climbing 
a  fence  or  wading  a  brook.  To  keep  the  line  tolerably  straight  under 
such  exasperating  circumstances  was  very  trying  and  perspiring  work. 
In  addition  to  this  we  were,  for  the  first  time,  in  line  of  battle,  and  in 
plain  sight  of  the  rest  of  the  division,  who  were  watching  our  move 
ments  as  they  followed  in  close  column.  Situated  as  we  were,  there 
was  no  opportunity  of  obeying,  without  disgrace,  those  instincts  of 
discretion  which  are  said  to  be  the  better  part  of  valor,  and  which 
prompt  human  nature  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  Those  of  us  who 
omitted  to  sneak  away  before  the  line  was  formed,  but  who  afterward 
showed  such  ingenuity  and  skill  in  escaping  the  dangers  of  battle, 
found  no  chance  open  for  skulking  on  this  occasion.  Yes  !  like 
other  regiments,  we  had  our  percentage  of  men  who  dared  to  run 
away,  that  they  might  live  to  fight  some  other,  far  distant  day.  We 
saw  those  dreaded  earthworks  a  long  time  before  we  reached  them, 
and  wondered  at  the  enemy's  silence,  but  concluded  they  were 
reserving  their  fire  until  we  should  be  close  enough  for  the  greatest 
execution.  Whatever  the  boys  felt,  there  was  no  faltering  or  waver 
ing.  Within  a  short  distance  of  the  earthworks  we  formed  in  close 
order,  and  with  a  yell  and  a  rush  we  bounded  over  them  to  find, 
after  all  our  fears  and  anticipations,  they  were  empty.  We  were 
soon  formed  in  line,  and  marched,  in  column  of  companies,  into 
town,  being  the  first  Union  regiment  that  entered  Winchester.  We 
felt  proud  enough  at  our  bloodless  victory. 

We  had  hardly  entered  the  main  street  of  the  town  when  General 
Jackson  and  Colonel  Ashby  were  discovered  on  horseback,  in  front  of 
the  Taylor  House,  waving  an  adieu  with  their  hats.  An  order  was 
immediately  given  to  fire,  but  we  were  not  quick  enough  to  do  them 
harm  or  retard  their  flight.  This  was  a  daring  thing  to  do,  though 
common  enough  with  such  men  as  Jackson  and  Ashby. 

We  marched  down  the  main  street,  the  band  playing  patriotic  airs. 


TIllRTKEXTll    MASS.     VOLS.  31 

1862.  while  the  people  scanned  our  appearance  to  see  what  a 

Yankee  looked  like.  Some  who  were  prepared  to  scoff 
could  get  no  farther  than  "  How  fat  they  are  !  " 

After  the  companies  were  assigned  to  quarters  the  officers  met  at 
the  Taylor  House,  and  dined  on  the  meal  provided  for  Jackson  and 
his  staff. 

The  regiment  was  detailed  as  provost  guard  of  the  town,  and  pro 
ceeded  at  once  to  secure  quarters  in  the  unoccupied  buildings. 

Winchester  is  a  town  of  four  or  five  thousand  inhabitants,  blessed 
with  a  water-supply,  is  the  county  seat,  has  a  medical  college  and 
a  hotel.  In  addition  to  all  these  advantages,  it  was  one  of  the  hot 
beds  of  secession. 

Our  duties  as  provost  guard  made  the  stay  in  Winchester  very 
attractive.  The  regiment  was  always  allowed  great  liberty  by  the 
colonel,  who  found  by  experience  that  the  men  could  be  trusted 
with  it ;  so  we  roamed  about  town,  when  not  on  duty,  as  pleased  us 
best.  The  men  who  were  on  duty,  not  wishing  to  be  outdone  by 
the  colonel,  also  granted  liberties  to  those  of  their  comrades  whom 
they  knew  they  could  trust.  One  of  the  places  we  were  called  upon 
to  guard  was  the  dining-room  of  the  Taylor  House,  where  many  of 
the  officers  were  quartered,  to  prevent  any  one  not  a  commissioned 
officer  entering  without  a  pass.  It  so  happened  that  a  few  of  us 
dined  there  each  day  at  the  landlord's  expense,  the  guard  finding  it 
difficult  to  detect  the  difference  between  a  man  who  was  a  commis 
sioned  officer,  and  one  who  wanted  to  be. 

Two  of  the  companies  were  quartered  in  the  hall  in  the  court 
house.  As  the  hall  was  provided  with  a  platform,  an  opportunity 
was  afforded  of  having  some  singing  and  dancing  by  Southern  darkies 
whom  we  corralled  each  day,  for  the  purpose,  and  to  which  the 
whole  regiment  was  invited.  The  dancing  was  vigorous,  and  the 
singing,  —  well,  it  was  not  what  we  hoped  it  would  be.  It  began 
with  a  grand  anthem  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  stanzas,  all  just 
alike,  which  was  ground  out  by  the  yard.  A  hat  was  placed  on  the 
front  of  the  platform,  to  receive  donations  from  time  to  time,  as 
encouragement.  When  we  got  as  many  yards  of  the  anthem  as  we 
could  stand,  we  shut  them  off  and  made  them  dance  —  as  a  rest. 


32  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  When  we  thought  they  had  sufficient  rest  we  started  them 

on  again  with  the  anthem  until  we  got  enough  of  both, 
when  we  divided  the  contents  of  the  hat  and  fired  them  out.  The 
anthem  was  as  follows  : 

"  AND  it's  Old  John  Brown  don't  you  see 
It'll  never  do  for  you  to  try  to  set  the  darkies  free 
For  if  you  do  the  people  will  come  from  all  around 
And  take  you  down  and  hang  you  up  in  old  Charlestown." 

There  was  no  punctuation  about  it,  and  the  only  way  we  distin 
guished  the  verses  was  the  emphasis  placed  on  the  word  "  and"  on 
beginning  each  stanza.  There  was  a  dispute  as  to  whether  the 
number  of  stanzas  was  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  or  one  hundred 
and  forty ;  but  one  of  the  boys  says  he  counted  one  hundred  and 
thirty-nine,  and  that  ought  to  settle  it. 

It  was  while  we  were  at  Winchester  that  the  government  issued 
the  new  currency  called  "greenbacks,"  fac-similes  of  which  were 
published  in  the  illustrated  papers.  The  currency  of  the  Confed 
eracy  was  printed  on  various  kinds  of  material,  such  as  match-paper, 
cloth,  etc.  The  people  of  Winchester  who  believed  that  our  gov 
ernment  was  as  badly  off  as  their  own  thought  these  fac-similes  were 
good  money,  and  received  them  as  such  until  one  was  offered  at  a 
sutler's  store  and  refused,  when  a  great  ado  was  made  at  the  "  Yankee 
trick."  As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  these  fac-similes  would  be 
taken  by  the  people,  the  price  of  "  Harper's  Weekly  "  or  "  Frank 
Leslie's  "  paper  rose  very  high.  An  appeal  was  made  to  the  colonel 
for  restitution,  notwithstanding  that  "  all  is  fair  in  love  or  war."  The 
perpetrators  of  this  fraud  were  never  found.  Curious,  isn't  it? 

During  our  brief  stay  in  Winchester  the  boys  enjoyed  a  little 
fun  at  the  expense  of  the  fair  sex  of  that  distinguished  town.  A 
sutler  of  one  of  the  regiments  having  secured  a  store  on  the  main 
street  for  the  sale  of  his  goods,  hung  out  over  the  sidewalk  a  Union  flag. 
The  sight  of  the  "  Stars  and  Stripes  "  produced  about  the  same  effect 
on  the  people  as  the  sight  of  a  red  rag  would  upon  an  enraged  bull. 
Rather  than  dishonor  themselves  by  walking  beneath  it,  they  turned 
into  the  middle  of  the  street  to  escape  the  humiliation.  On  the  fol- 


TlllRTKKNTH    3M.S.S.     VOLS.  33 

1862.  lowing  day  some  members  of  the  "  Ninth  New  York  " 

hung  a  large  flag  across  the  middle  of  the  street,  while 
Company  K  of  the  Thirteenth  stretched  another  one  across  the  op 
posite  sidewafk,  thus  completely  blocking  the  street.  A  rebel  flag 
was  then  laid  flat  on  the  sidewalk.  Supposing  this  to  be  like  those 
above,  they  trampled  upon  it  and  tore  it  with  their  feet,  to  the  great 
merriment  of  the  boys,  who  loudly  applauded  the  act.  The  mortifi 
cation  they  felt  on  discovering  their  error  was  too  exasperating  for 
concealment,  and  so  found  vent  in  expressions  of  disgust  which  added 
still  more  to  the  fun. 

The  repugnance  wnich  the  women  of  the  South  felt  for  a  Yankee 
frequently  found  expression  in  contemptuous  remarks.  At  dress- 
parade,  one  night,  as  we  were  falling  into  line,  on  the  double-quick, 
a  woman  shouted,  "Ashby'll  make  you  run  faster  than  that."'1 
Who  knows  but  this  unhappy  creature  may  have  inherited  a  copy 
of  the  "Vinegar  Bible"  and  that  constant  reading  of  it  may  have 
fermented  the  natural  sweetness  of  her  disposition?  One  would  think 
that  nothing  but  an  extermination  of  the  whole  race  of  Yankees 
would  satisfy  her  anger,  so  bitter  was  her  feeling. 

It  was  at  Winchester  that  some  of  the  boys  were  called  upon 
from  Company  D  to  show  their  mechanical  ingenuity  in  recon 
structing  a  dilapidated  engine,  one  of  three  left  by  the  enemy, 
and  they  succeeded  so  well  that  it  was  sent  to  Halltown,  near 
Harper's  Ferry,  for  flour.  It  was  no  light  job  the  boys  had,  and 
they  deserved  all  the  fun  they  got  out  of  it.  When  the  work  was 
completed  a  train  was  attached,  and  about  eighty  men  were  taken 
aboard,  armed  with  implements,  including  iron  and  spikes,  to  make 
such  repairs  as  were  needed  in  the  progress  of  their  journey.  The 
track  was  composed  of  heavy  strap  iron,  spiked  on  to  wooden 
stringers.  Reaching  Charlestown,  the  cars  were  dropped,  while  the 
locomotive  proceeded  to  Halltown,  accompanied  by  a  small  detail. 
Later  in  the  afternoon  the  party  returned,  having  first  secured  a 
train  of  cars  which  were  loaded  with  flour  for  the  troops  in  Win 
chester.  The  vacant  space  was  taken  up  by  men  on  leaves  of 
absence  returning  to  camp,  who  availed  themselves  of  the  opportu 
nity  thus  afforded  to  escape  a  long  tramp  to  Winchester.  This 


34  THREE     YE AKS    IN     THE    ARMY. 

1862.  addition  to  the  number  made  the  journey  back  anything 

but  pleasant,  besides  greatly  lessening  the  speed.  Pretty 
soon  a  curious  sound  from  the  internal  organs  of  the  engine  caught  the 
ear.  There  was  something  the  matter  with  the  iron  horse.  He  blew 
and  snorted  as  though  he  had  the  belly-ache,  when  climbing  an  up 
grade.  Very  soon  the  monotony  of  his  funereal  pace  became  unbear 
able,  and  to  his  hissing  and  sputtering  was  added  the  grumbling  of 
the  tired  passengers,  who  longed  for  a  sight  of  Winchester.  Added  to 
other  troubles  was  the  discovery  that  a  bridge  was  on  fire,  the  work 
of  some  Southerner  who  believed  in  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
war,  by  his  side,  in  order  to  shorten  it.  Fortunately  for  the  party, 
the  wood  was  sufficiently  damp  to  prevent  the  bridge  from  being 
destroyed.  It  had  the  effect,  however,  of  enlivening  the  drowsy 
faculties  of  the  party,  who  kept  a  sharp  lookout  for  further  danger. 
Near  midnight,  with  Winchester  two  miles  away,  the  iron  horse 
started  on  an  up-grade,  puffing  and  blowing  with  all  his  might,  until, 
completely  out  of  breath,  he  gave  up  the  trial  and  rolled  back  to 
the  level  below.  The  boys  rested  him  a  moment,  then  opened 
wide  his  old  throttle,  and  up  the  grade  he  went  once  more  ;  but 
when  almost  up,  he  "  busted "  one  of  his  intestines,  enveloping 
the  whole  train  with  steam.  Matters  were  very  lively  for  a  few 
moments.  The  party  scattered  like  rats  from  a  sinking  ship.  The 
"  iron  horse  "  was  abandoned  to  his  fate,  and  the  party  walked  into 
Winchester.  The  freight  was  subsequently  brought  into  town  by  army 
wagons. 

Winchester  was  the  home  of  Mason,  of  the  firm  of  Mason  and 
Slidell,  that  famous  pair  of  rebels  who  came  so  near  embroiling  us  in 
a  war  with  England.  They  were  appointed  by  the  Confederate  gov 
ernment  as  envoys  to  European  courts,  and  were  taken  by  the  rebel 
gunboat  "  Theodora  "  to  Havana,  escaping  the  watchfulness  of  our 
cruisers.  Upon  their  arrival  at  that  port  they  became  inflated  with  a 
lofty  admiration  of  their  consequence,  forgetting  how  illusive  is  the 
vainglory  of  the  world.  Assuming  an  importance  out  of  keeping 
in  men  representing  a  rebellious  government,  they  attracted  the  at 
tention  of  the  world  to  their  missson  and  its  purport,  thereby  laying 
the  foundation  of  their  subsequent  failure  as  diplomats.  From 


THIRTEENTH    MASK.     VOLS.  35 

1862.  Havana  they  embarked  on  board  the  English  steamship 

"  Trent,"  bound  for  "  Merrie  England." 

It  so  happened  that  the  noise  of  their  doings  reached  the  ears  of 
Commodore  Wilkes,  who  was  on  his  way  home  from  Africa  in  the 
"San  Jacinto."  Impressed  with  the  idea  that  they  were  fair  game  to 
capture,  wherever  they  might  be  found,  he  overhauled  the  "  Trent " 
and  demanded  their  surrender.  After  removing  them  to  the  "  San 
Jacinto,"  which,  by  the  way,  was  not  accomplished  without  some 
friction,  Commodore  Wilkes  set  sail  for  Fort  Warren,  Boston  Har 
bor,  where  he  deposited  his  thoroughly  disgusted  prisoners,  to  enjoy 
the  care  and  entertainment  of  the  government,  while  he  enjoyed  the 
hospitality  proffered  him  by  the  people  of  Boston,  where  his  action 
made  him  a  great  hero. 

All  this,  which  happened  in  November,  1861,  made  a  deuce  of  a 
row.  Our  government  soon  learned  that  yanking  the  British  lion's 
tail,  without  lawful  right,  meant  something,  and  it  was  forced  to  eat 
its  dish  of"  cro\v"  by  apologizing  for  its  hasty  action,  and  transfer 
ring  the  prisoners  to  an  English  ship,  anchored  at  Provincetown, 
and  thus  fortunately  ending  the  matter. 

In  consequence  of  these  exciting  incidents  Mr.  Mason's  resi 
dence  became  an  object  of  much  curiosity,  and  as  a  guard  was 
detailed  from  the  Thirteenth  to  protect  the  premises,  we  had 
an  opportunity  of  becoming  distantly  acquainted  with  his  family. 
Their  sentiments  were  of  the  rabid  kind.  They  believed  a  dead 
Yankee  was  the  best  kind  of  a  Yankee.  We  did  our  best,  by  good 
nature  and  politeness,  to  remove  their  impressions  ;  but  it  was  no  go, 
as  the  gangrene  of  contempt  had  too  deeply  affected  their  minds  to 
allow  a  change  of  heart.  When  the  guard  arrived  at  the  house,  Mrs. 
Mason,  mistaking  their  purpose,  remonstrated  against  any  "  Northern 
mudsills "  entering  her  premises,  which  statement  was  promptly 
communicated  to  the  colonel,  who  soon  made  his  appearance  and 
explained  to  her  that  it  was  the  guard  sent  to  protect  her  and  her 
property  from  the  presence  of  persons  whom  she  had  no  wish  to  see. 
And  this  is  the  way  we  were  treated  in  return  for  all  our  kindness  and 
attention  to  her  husband  during  his  stay  at  Fort  Warren. 

An  order  was  this  day  issued  by  General  McClellan,  in  accord- 


36  THREE     YEARS    IN     THE    ARMY. 

1862.  ance  with  the  President's  order  of  the  8th  inst.,  desig- 

March  13.     nating  General  Banks'  corps,  composed  of  the  divisions 

of  Generals  Williams  and  Shields,  as  the  Fifth  Corps. 
An  order  was  also  issued  this  day  by  General  Banks  to  his  troops, 
containing  the  following : 

The  commanding  general  learns  with  sincere  regret  that  officers  in  some  cases, 
from  mistaken  views,  either  tolerate  or  encourage  depredations  upon  property. 
This  is  deeply  regretted.  He  calls  upon  them  to  reflect  upon  the  destructive 
influences  which  attend  such  practices,  and  to  remember  the  declaration  of  the 
great  master  of  the  art  of  war,  that  pillage  is  the  most  certain  method  of  dis 
organizing  and  destroying  an  army. 

When  we  reflect  how  much  property  we  protected,  and  thereby 
made  useful  for  Jackson  in  his  subsequent  raids  up  the  valley,  we 
naturally  ask  which  army  he  means  will  be  destroyed. 

So  far  as  our  experience  goes,  the  people  of  Winchester  ex 
pressed  astonishment  that  no  plundering  had  occurred,  as  they  had 
been  informed  that  terrible  things  would  happen  upon  our  entry 
into  town.  Whether  they  lied  or  not  we  are  unable  to  say,  but  they 
said  the  town  was  never  so  quiet  as  during  our  stay  there.  It  may 
be  they  spoke  the  truth,  as  most  of  the  stores  were  closed  upon  our 
entrance,  but  shortly  afterward  opened,  doing  a  thriving  business. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  right  wing  of  the  regiment, 
Saturday,  with  two  companies  of  cavalry  and  four  pieces  of  artillery, 
March  15.  made  a  reconnoissance  to  Newtown,  eight  miles  away. 
Upon  our  arrival  at  that  place,  we  found  the  enemy 
drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  in  readiness  to  make  it  warm  for  us  should 
we  feel  disposed  to  advance.  The  artillery  was  immediately  placed 
in  position  and  began  firing.  Whether  we  did  any  damage  or  not 
we  had  no  means  of  knowing.  On  our  side  no  one  was  hurt,  though 
several  were  badly  scared.  During  this  desultory  firing,  arrangements 
were  being  quietly  made  by  the  enemy  to  gobble  the  whole  outfit, 
which  action  was  discovered  in  season  to  prevent  its  completion. 
As  there  was  no  time  to  countermarch  the  regiment,  it  marched 
back  to  Winchester  "  left  in  front,"  the  small  men  thereby  taking  the 
lead.  It  soon  began  to  rain,  and  before  our  arrival  in  Winchester 


THIRTEENTH    ^fASS.     VOLS.  37 

1862.  we  were  drenched  to  the  skin.  This  return  march  of 

eight  miles  was  made  in  one  hour  and  fifty  minutes  — 
extraordinarily  good  time  for  a  regiment  marching  in  column,  and 
will  be  recollected  by  the  participants  for  that,  if  for  nothing  else. 
It  was  a  great  day  for  the  "  ponies,"  as  it  was  they  who  set  the  pace. 

The  average  speed  of  a  regiment  on  the  march  is  from  two  to 
two  and  a  half  miles  per  hour.  This  speed  includes  such  delays  as 
occur  from  obstructions  in  the  road,  caused  generally  by  streams 
that  are  not  bridged.  It  sometimes  happens  that  a  speed  of  three 
miles  per  hour,  and  occasionally  three  and  a  half  miles,  is  attained 
under  special  circumstances.  In  the  march  from  Newtown,  just 
recorded,  the  rate  of  speed  exceeded  four  miles  per  hour ;  a  very 
exceptional  case. 

The  manner  of  marching  was  in  fours,  and  by  what  is  known  as 
"route  step ;  "  that  is,  "go  as  you  please."  The  men  were  generally 
in  step,  because  it  was  easier,  as  everybody  knows.  You  were  at 
liberty  to  carry  your  gun,  knapsack,  blankets,  ammunition,  etc.,  as 
best  pleased  yourself.  Three  to  five  days'  rations  were  often  carried 
in  the  haversack.  In  the  last  part  of  the  war,  to  have  had  issued 
to  you  for  three  days  such  a  quantity  and  variety  of  rations  as  was 
given  you  for  one  day  at  this  time  would  have  made  a  man  think 
he  was  preparing  for  Thanksgiving  day. 

The  machinery  necessary  for  providing  an  army  as  large  as  the 
Union  army  with  daily  rations  seemed  to  us  the  most  wonderful  of 
the  various  responsibilities  that  occupied  the  attention  of  the  gov 
ernment.  The  occasions  were  rare  when  the  soldier  worried  himself 
about  the  matter.  Of  course  it  did  happen  occasionally  that  he  was 
forced  to  put  up  with  short  commons,  as  in  cases  where  forced 
marches  were  suddenly  made,  or  where  supplies  were  cut  off  by  raids 
of  the  enemy.  In  instances  where  the  full  ration  was  not  issued,  it 
was  the  custom  of  the  government  to  commute  the  difference,  pay 
ing  the  sum  so  realized  to  each  company,  which  fund  was  known  as 
the  "  company  fund,"  and  which  was  held  by  the  captain,  who  was 
allowed  to  drasv  therefrom  for  such  purposes  as,  in  his  judgment, 
were  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  his  men.  The  rations  issued  the 
first  year  of  the  war  were  good,  and  little  cause  for  complaint  ex- 


38  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  isted,  as  a  rule.    Later,  when  the  exigencies  of  the  service 

prevented  their  prompt  delivery,  hardtack,  from  exposure 
to  the  weather,  was  frequently  ornamented  with  a  border  of  green, 
and  occasionally  with  maggots  or  weevils.  Coffee  and  pork  came  in 
for  their  share  of  these  diminutive  specimens  of  animal  life.  As  we 
advanced  in  our  education  and  experience  as  soldiers,  a  small  matter 
of  this  kind  ceased  to  have  a  disturbing  influence  in  our  daily  life. 
Hardtack  was  a  nutritious  article  of  diet,  and  though  soft  bread  was 
occasionally  issued,  old  soldiers  preferred  the  former,  not  only  for 
its  compactness,  but  for  its  sustaining  and  satisfying  qualities.  When 
it  left  the  oven  it  was  uniformly  good,  as  it  was  uniformly  hard. 

The  chaplain  preached  a  rattling  sermon  on  the  evils 
Sunday,  of  secession,  in  front  of  the  court-house.  Notice  having 
March  16.  been  given  out  to  the  towns-people  that  he  was  to 

preach,  advantage  was  taken  by  some  of  them  to  be 
present  and  listen  to  a  "  Yankee  "  preacher.  An  opportunity  was 
thus  afforded  the  chaplain  of  airing  his  eloquence,  with  which  he 
was  highly  gifted,  on  these  degenerate  sons  of  Virginia. 

St.  Patrick's  day  without  a  procession  in  honor  of  the  man  who 

drove  snakes  out  of  Ireland  is  a  deprivation  we  were 
Monday,  unused  to.  What  a  terrible  thing  is  war  !  We  were  now 
March  17.  in  a  part  of  the  country  where  an  "  F.F.V."  was  a  bigger 

man  than  St.  Patrick. 

For  real  thoroughbred  aristocracy,  the  "  First  Families  of  Vir 
ginia  "  can  lay  over,  or  think  they  can,  all  the  "  blue-bloods  "  of  the 
North  or  South.  They  have  a  well-grounded  opinion  of  their  superi 
ority  to  other  mortals  in  this  world,  with  anticipations  of  a  similar 
rank  in  the  next.  Perhaps  they  expect,  on  announcing  their 
names  at  the  gates  of  Paradise,  that  St.  Peter  will  doff  his  cowl  with 
becoming  humility,  and  lead  them  to  the  seats  already  reserved 
about  the  throne  for  people  whose  blood  is  of  the  ultra-marine  hue. 
In  their  opinion,  to  bear  the  label  "  F.F.V."  confers  a  distinction 
that  no  honor  can  excel.  It  is  a  brand  of  aristocracy  too  choice 
to  be  the  reward  of  mere  wealth.  As  a  rule  they  were  persons  of 
culture  and  refinement,  and  took  great  pride  and  pleasure  in  dis 
pensing  a  generous  though  ruinous  hospitality.  They  looked  upon 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  39 

1862.  themselves  as  the  nobility  of  the  land,  and  prior  to  the 

war,  with  abundance  of  means,  and  numerous  slaves  to  do 
their  bidding,  many  of  them  led  ideal  lives.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  therefore,  that  the  breaking  up  of  such  an  existence  should  develop 
an  unnatural  animosity  toward  the  government.  It  was  impossible  to 
live  as  they  did,  in  the  dazzling  rays  of  external  splendor,  without  ex 
citing  the  unreasoning  enmity  of  their  less  fortunate  neighbors,  who 
took  advantage  of  our  presence  to  retaliate.  .  It  happened  after  we 
crossed  the  river  into  Virginia,  that,  knowing  little  about  them, 
we  sought  every  opportunity  of  exciting  mirth  or  provoking  ridicule 
at  their  weaknesses.  As  we  became  acquainted  with  them,  we  were 
ready  to  believe  them  to  be  generous,  brave,  and  attractive  in 
manners,  except  when  their  tempers  were  excited,  as  against  the 
North,  and  then  they  were  rabid  and  unreasonable.  We  soon  learned 
that  every  ill-clad  ignorant  specimen  on  the  roadside  was  not  an 
"  F.F.V."  We  also  learned  that  their  less  fortunate  neighbors  took 
every  opportunity  of  maligning  them,  and  the  stories  told  us  of  the 
terrible  things  they  were  doing  had  to  be  taken  with  a  good  deal 
of  allowance,  otherwise  we  might  have  done  them  injustice. 


40  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER  III. 

1862.  COMPANIES  B  and  K,  retained  in  town  for  duty  while 

Tuesday,      ^Q  rest  Qf  ^  regiment  prepared  to  go  into  camp,  an 

order  having  been  received  transferring  the  Thirteenth  to 

General  Abercrombie's  brigade.  During  the  day  we  called 
on  our  old  associates  of  Hamilton's  brigade  and  bade  them  good-by. 
General  Shields  with  his  division  of  10,000  men  passed  through 
Winchester  to-day  and  made  a  good  show. 

Marched  out  of  town  about  two  miles ;  pitched  tents 
Wednesday,  in  sight  of  the  camps  of  the  Second  and  Twelfth  Massa- 
March  19.  chusetts  regiments.  We  then  marched  to  the  camps  of 

the  regiments  in  Abercrombie's  brigade,  that  we  might 
see  them,  and  let  them  see  us.  The  new  brigade  was  composed  of 
the  Twelfth  Massachusetts,  Ninth  New  York  (Eighty- third  Vols.), 
the  Twelfth  and  Sixteenth  Indiana  regiments.  Whatever  may  have 
been  their  opinion  of  us,  we  were  favorably  impressed  with  our  new 
associates.  We  thus  began  an  association  with  the*  Twelfth  Massa 
chusetts  and  Ninth  New  York  regiments  that  lasted  during  the  rest  of 
our  service,  and  with  whom  we  shared  a  good  many  hardships  and 
dangers  as  time  rolled  on. 

It  snowed  and  hailed  last  night,  and  to-day  it  rained, 
Thursday,  so  we  were  relieved  of  drills  and  dress  parade.  We  were 

surprised  to  find  such  weather  as  this  in  Virginia.  It 
looked  like  an  infringement  on  New  England's  weather  patent. 

Marched  with  the  brigade  in  an  easterly  direction,  ten 

Friday,          miles,  toward    Berryville,  and  went   into  camp    in    the 

1  2I'    woods  about  two  miles  short  of  that  town.     It  rained 

hard  nearly  all  day,  and  it  was  dark  before  we  halted. 
Building  fires  with  wet,  green  wood  required  a  deal  more  of  Christian 
patience  than  most  of  us  possessed,  to  refrain  from  swearing.  Some 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOL8.  41 

of  the  boys,  whose  abilities  to  overcome  obstacles  seemed  super 
human,  succeeded  in  boiling  coffee. 

At  daylight  we  built  fires  and  tried  to  dry  our  blankets 

l862-  before  marching,  as  a  wet  blanket  is  no  light  load  to  tote 

Saturday, 

March  22      over   a   mountain.      About    9  o'clock  we    took  up  the 

line  of  march  to  Snicker's  Gap  in  the  Bull  Run  Moun 
tains,  passing  through  Berryville,  where  we  stopped  for  half  an  hour 
or  more,  and  where  we  saw  some  pretty  girls,  which  prompted  one  of 
the  boys  to  sing  that  song  which  includes : 

"  And  the  captain  with  his  whiskers 
Took  a  sly  glance  at  me." 

Though  nothing  but  a  village,  it  had  a  few  stores  and  a  hotel, 
so  we  were  able  to  provide  ourselves  with  some  of  the  delicacies  ex 
posed  for  sale.  We  then  proceeded  across  the  Shenandoah  River,  by 
means  of  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  up  the  mountain  to  a  level  plain  in 
Snicker's  Gap,  where  we  pitched  tents  for  the  night  in  a  beautiful 
pine  grove,  and  where  we  found  plenty  of  good  water. 

Continued  the  march  about  7  o'clock,  passing  down 
Sunday,  tne  east  s^e  °f  tne  mountain  through  the  village  of 
March  23.  Snickersville  and  on  to  Aldie,  eighteen  miles.  A  good 

day's  work  for  Sunday.  The  colonel  was  good  enough 
to  compliment  us  on  our  marching.  Well,  taffy  is  an  article  that 
pleases  soldiers  just  the  same  as  it  does  others  of  God's  children. 
Orders  were  issued  by  General  Abercrombie  not  to  meddle  with  fence 
rails.  There  was  never  anything  invented  in  the  shape  of  wood  that 
would  make  a  better  or  quicker  fire  than  a  fence  rail.  As  the  colo 
nel  had  already  given  orders  not  to  take  any  but  the  top  rail,  we 
adhered  strictly  to  that  humorous  injunction. 

Remained  in  camp  until  5  P.M.,  when  we  received 
Monday,  orders  to  return  to  Berryville  with  the  greatest  possible 
March  24.  haste.  Banks  had  been,  or  was  about  to  be,  attacked  by 

Jackson,  hence  the  necessity  of  our  being  near  when 
needed.  We  should  have  liked  it  much  better  if  Jackson  had  made 
his  attack  before  we  left  Winchester,  and  not  waited  until  we  were 
forty  miles  away. 


42  THREE    TEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Wading  through  streams  had  been  disastrous  to  the 

home-made  boots  of  a  good  many  of  the  boys,  who 
found  it  impossible  to  get  them  on  to  their  feet,  and  were  therefore 
obliged  to  walk  in  stockings  or  go  barefoot.  As  stockings  were  a 
poor  protection,  there  were  some  pretty  sore  feet  by  the  time  the 
eighteen  miles  were  accomplished.  Mile  after  mile  of  this  weary 
march  we  counted  off,  until  at  last  the  little  stone  church  in 
Snickersville,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  appeared  in  sight,  lighted 
as  if  for  a  social  gathering.  The  temptation  to  stop  was  very 
great,  and  many  there  were  in  the  brigade  who  availed  themselves 
of  the  opportunity. 

What  a  scene  was  presented  to  view  on  entering  the  door ! 
Men  were  lying  on  the  seats,  under  the  seats,  in  the  aisles,  in  the 
pulpit ;  every  available  spot,  large  enough  to  stow  a  body,  was  found 
to  be  occupied,  until  they  were  packed  as  closely  as  sardines  in  a 
box.  Though  every  lamp  in  the  church  was  lighted,  there  was  no 
one  awake  to  enjoy  it ;  all  were  snoring  away  like  so  many  pigs, 
reminding  one  of  a  pond  of  bull-frogs  on  a  summer's  night.  "  Be 
hold  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brothers  to  dwell  together 
in  unity." 

One  of  our  boys  finding  no  place  whereon  to  lay  his  head, 
trudged  up  the  mountain  and  rejoined  the  regiment,  which  had  al 
ready  pitched  tents  on  the  same  ground  occupied  by  it  two  nights 
before.  "  Where  have  you  been?  "  was  the  inquiry  that  greeted  him 
as  he  entered  the  tent.  "To  church,"  he  answered.  "  Yes,"  said 
another,  "  he  probably  stopped  to  p-r-e-y." 

When  reveille  was  sounded,  it  seemed  as  though  we 
Tuesday,  had  been  asleep  but  a  few  minutes.  We  stretched  our- 
March  25.  seives  mto  snape)  however,  answered  to  roll-call,  cooked 
our  "  regular  coffee,"  and  prepared  to  march  at  9  o'clock. 
About  a  mile  from  camp,  as  we  reached  the  brow  of  the  mountain, 
we  were  informed  that  the  pontoon  bridge  over  the  Shenandoah  was 
carried  away,  and  that  we  should  be  obliged  to  wait  until  it  was 
rebuilt  before  continuing  our  journey.  These  were  tidings  of  great 
joy,  affording  us  an  opportunity  of  sleeping  or  gazing  on  the  beautiful 
valley  of  this  attractive  river,  and  a  lovelier  sight  never  greeted  the 


THIRTEENTH    MASK.     VOLS.  43 

1862.  eye  of  man.     An  opportunity  was  also  afforded  those 

who  needed  them  to  draw  shoes  from  the  quartermaster. 

Some  of  us,  afflicted  with  more  pride  than  sense,  had  been  having 
our  boots  made  to  order  and  sent  out  from  home,  and  now  became 
acquainted,  for  the  first  time,  with  the  virtues  of  an  "  army  shoe," 
and  in  a  few  days  were  ready  to  testify  that  we  never  saw  a  shoe  so 
well  adapted  for  its  purpose. 

About  3  o'clock  we  resumed  our  march  down  the  mountain, 
crossed  the  river  and  were  well  on  our  way  toward  Berryville,  when 
a  courier  from  General  Banks  met  us  with  an  order  to  return  ;  so  back 
up  the  mountain  we  marched  to  our  camp-ground  in  the  woods, 
where  for  the  third  time  we  pitched  our  tents,  "  Dei  gratia"  as 
General  Rosecrans  says  in  one  of  his  orders. 

At  8  o'clock  A.M.  we  started  down  the  mountain 
Wednesday,  on  the  road  to  Aldie,  again  passing  through  the  village 
March  26.  of  Snickersville,  where,  as  before,  our  appearance  ruffled 
the  tempers  of  the  villagers,  who  expressed  their  con 
tempt  by  making  faces  and  calling  us  "  Miserable  Yankees.'11  We 
were  not  disturbed  at  these  exhibitions,  though  some  of  the  boys  ex 
ercised  their  wit  in  rather  irritating  words.  As  we  passed  by  the 
little  stone  church  we  noticed  it  was  closed.  Where  were  all  the 
pious  pilgrims  who  occupied  it  two  nights  ago?  We  halted  at  Goose 
Creek  for  the  night,  in  a  beautiful  piece  of  woods.  We  had  hardly 
dropped  our  knapsacks  when  the  order  was  given  to  "fall  in,"  in 
formation  having  been  received  that  the  enemy  was  advancing  toward 
us  from  Aldie.  We  soon  learned  that  the  alarm  was  false,  and,  to  our 
delight,  the  order  was  countermanded. 

The  spot  selected  for  our  camp  was  in  a  beautiful  piece  of  woods, 
in  close  proximity  to  a  clear,  sparkling  brook,  but  its  situation  with 
respect  to  a  rail  fence,  upon  which  we  relied  for  our  fuel,  was  a  bad 
one,  inasmuch  as  it  necessitated  our  walking  by  the  general's  tent,  if 
we  succeeded  in  getting  any  of  that  forbidden  fruit  called  rails.  As 
soon  as  tents  were  pitched,  men  from  each  company,  in  merry  mood, 
started  for  rails,  without  the  least  suspicion  that  General  Abercrombie 
had  placed  his  tent  on  the  side  of  the  road  at  the  very  point  where 
they  expected  to  get  them.  Their  chagrin,  as  they  saw  the  general, 


44  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  like  a  watch-dog,  sitting  in  front  of  his  tent  facing  the 

very  fence  they  proposed  to  seize,  is  not  easily  described. 
The  ill-luck  which  is  said  to  accompany  the  number  thirteen 
seemed  to  acquire  justification  while  we  were  with  Abercrombie. 
His  prejudice  against  us  was  unaccountable,  considering  we  had 
been  under  his  command  but  a  week.  If  any  man  in  the  brigade 
was  caught  violating  an  order,  the  general's  first  instinct  was  to 
suspect  the  offender  as  being  a  Thirteenth  man.  In  this  particular 
instance,  men  belonging  to  other  regiments  and  companies  could  be 
plainly  seen  beyond,  helping  themselves  to  rails  without  hindrance,  so 
it  was  easy  to  reason  that  a  change  had  taken  place  in  his  feelings 
about  not  touching  them,  though  the  boys  hardly  dared  to  take  them 
from  under  his  very  nose,  as  it  was  too  much  like  bearding  the  lion 
in  his  den.  Suddenly  he  disappeared  in  his  tent.  Such  an  apparent 
dispensation  of  Providence  was  made  the  most  of.  As  rapidly  as 
possible  they  loaded  themselves  with  all  the  rails  they  could  carry, 
and  hurried  back  to  camp,  careful  to  make  no  noise  as  they  passed 
his  tent.  Just  as  they  were  congratulating  themselves  on  escaping 
observation,  the  general  suddenly  made  his  appearance. 

"  His  brow  was  sad;  his  eye  beneath 
Flashed  like  a  falchion  from  its  sheath." 

Above  the  braying  of  hungry  mules  could  be  heard  his  shrill  voice 
shouting,  "  Put  down  those  rails  /  "  Appreciating  that  prompt  and 
cheerful  obedience  is  one  of  the  attributes  of  a  good  soldier,  they 
hurried  along  with  might  and  main  to  obey  his  order,  but  the  spot 
selected  was  not  where  he  wanted  them  "put  down."  The  greatest 
soldiers  will  often  differ  about  the  interpretation  of  an  order.  As 
nothing  was  said  about  the  particular  spot  where  the  rails  were  to  be 
put  down,  the  boys  could  only  guess  what  might  be  his  wishes.  As 

often  happens,  they  guessed  wrong.     Once  again  he  yelled,  "  D N 

YOU,  PUT  DOWN  THOSE  RAILS  !  "  As  they  turned  into  the  woods  to  the 
camp,  the  rails  on  their  shoulders  took  every  sort  of  angle.  While 
one  might  be  poking  into  the  ground,  another  would  be  pointed  to 
the  sky,  while  others  would  steer  off  to  the  right  or  left,  —  all  wanting 
to  go  in  different  directions,  making  it  an  embarrassing  piece  of  work 


THIRTEENTH   ^fASS.     VOLS.  45 

1862.  to  pilot  them  among  the  trees.     At  last  the  boys  reached 

camp,  completely  blown  and  considerably  scared  with  the 
fear  that  an  aid  might  soon  come  with  an  order  for  them  to  appear 
before  General  Abercrombie.  This  anticipation,  however,  did  not 
interfere  with  building  fires,  as  that  work  proceeded  at  once,  and 
very  soon  the  odor  of  boiling  coffee  could  be  distinguished. 

As  time  wore  on,  and  no  officer  appeared  with  a  summons,  courage 
returned,  and  more  rails  were  procured  —  this  time  without  attracting 
notice.  Very  soon  the  men  gathered  round  huge  fires  to  listen  to 
songs,  or  to  hear  the  latest  gossip.  A  common  topic  of  discussion 
during  this  early  part  of  our  service  was  the  probability  of  our  return 
home  in  a  few  days,  without  seeing  any  fighting. 

About  3.30  A.M.  the  long  roll  was  sounded,  and  in 

company  with  the  Sixteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  a  section 
March  27. 

of  artillery  and  a  squadron  of  cavalry,  we  made  a 
reconnoissance  to  Middleburg,  about  six  miles  away,  with 
the  hope  of  surprising  a  rebel  camp  in  that  town.  The  morning  was 
bright  and  clear  and  the  air  delightfully  invigorating.  Though  we 
marched  as  fast  as  we  could,  we  found  the  enemy  had  been  warned 
of  our  approach  in  season  to  leave  without  the  risk  of  a  battle, 
whereupon  we  were  halted  in  the  main  street  of  this  pretty  town  for 
an  hour's  rest  before  returning  to  camp.  During  our  temporary 
stay  the  boys  made  good  use  of  their  time  by  skirmishing  for  some 
thing  to  eat. 

Our  trip  was  not  wholly  devoid  of  fun,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
following  incident  which  occasioned  the  remark,  "  Who  stole  the 
honey?"  that  has  been  so  often  repeated  at  our  regimental  gatherings 
since  the  war.  One  of  the  boys  having  discovered  a  beehive, 
seized  it  and  returned  to  the  regiment  with  it  in  his  arms ;  while  a 
short  distance  away,  the  loser,  like  Aristaeus  of  old,  was  exclaiming, 
"  Mother  !  they've  stolen  my  bees  !  "  As  the  forager  approached  the 
regiment  he  was  greeted  with  shouts  of  laughter,  and  "  Put  down  that 
honey  !"  Though  bedaubed  with  the  contents  of  the  hive,  and 
presenting  the  most  ridiculous  appearance,  he  was  in  no  way  discon 
certed  at  the  uproar  he  created,  and  so  had  both  honey  and  friends 
with  whom  to  share  it. 


46     .  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Started   at    8    A.M.    and    marched  eighteen  miles  to 

Friday,          Pleasant  Valley,  on  the  road  to  Centreville.     A  hot  day 
March  28>     and  a  dusty  road. 

Marched  to  Blackburn's    Ford,  seven  miles,  passing 
Saturday,      througi1   Centreville.     A  part  of   the  way  we  marched 

across  the  fields.  We  halted  about  an  hour  at  Centreville 
in  some  rebel  huts,  which  protected  us  from  a  driving  snow 
storm.  Resumed  our  march,  in  snow  and  rain,  to  our  destination, 
near  the  Bull  Run  battlefield,  where  we  found  another  lot  of  huts, 
the  recent  quarters  of  the  Washington  Artillery  from  New  Orleans. 
Some  of  the  men  preferred  tents.  There  were  a  good  many  evidences 
about  these  huts  that  showed  a  festivity  not  common  in  the  Union 
army  —  such  as  champagne  and  whiskey  bottles.  Some  of  their 
mess-houses  were  embellished  with  signs  such  as  "  Yahoos,"  "  Rest 
for  the  Pilgrims,"  "Pot-pourri,"  etc.,  etc. 

A  good  deal  of  interest  was  shown  among  the  boys  to  investigate 
our  surroundings  on  this  unfortunate  field,  which  looked  more  like  a 
graveyard  than  anything  else.  One  of  the  boys  counted  seventy 
dead  horses  in  the  last  two  miles  of  our  march.  It  is  said  these 
horses  were  starved  to  death  for  want  of  forage.  The  odor  that 
penetrated  the  camp  was  very  disagreeable. 

The  seventh  day  of  the  week.     The  day  on  which  the 

Lord  rested.     As  it  rained  hard  all  day,  we  also  rested, 

March  30. 

though  no  chime  of  bells  saluted  the  ear. 

Some  of  the  boys  complained  that  the  water  we  were  drinking  had 
a  bad  taste.  An  investigation  showed  there  was  reason  why  it  should, 
as  it  flowed  through  the  putrid  remains  of  a  dead  horse  a  short  dis 
tance  above  where  we  took  it.  To  complain  about  a  little  thing  like 
that  showed  what  mere  tadpoles  of  soldiers  we  were  in  comparison 
with  our  experience  later  on  —  after  our  taste  had  been  cultivated  by 
rancid  pork,  mouldy  hardtack,  and  buggy  coffee.  Yes,  we  still  re 
tained  some  of  the  fastidious  and  dainty  habits  of  the  sybarite. 

About  4.30  P.M.  we  marched  to  Manassas,  five  miles, 

d*y>       over   a  corduroy  road,  and  went  into  camp.     A  more 

God-forsaken  place  than  Manassas  Junction  was  never 

seen.     About  everything,  even  to  houses,  were  found  to  be  in  ruins. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  47 

1862.  On  our  way  here,  a  batch  of  forty-five  recruits  met  us, 

and  a  fine  set  of  boys  they  were.  They  struck  us  just 
as  the  hard  times  were  beginning,  and  at  a  time  when  the  selfish 
propensities  of  some  of  the  boys  had  been  excited  into  activity,  as 
negotiations  were  immediately  begun  for  the  exchange  of  old  worn- 
out  dippers,  for  the  bright  new  ones  just  brought  out  from  Boston. 
Upon  the  untruthful  representation  that  the  old  dippers  were  captured 
or  found  on  the  battlefield,  the  new  recruits  showed  great  eagerness 
to  possess  them.  The  exchange  was  completed  so  quickly  that  warn 
ing  came  too  late  to  be  of  service  to  some  of  the  recruits.  The  trans 
action  was  so  emphatically  condemned  by  the  regiment  that  most  of 
the  dippers  were  returned. 

"All-Fools'  day  "  was  sunny  and  warm.  Recruits  were 
Tuesday,  assigned  to  various  companies,  choice  being  allowed  those 
April  i.  who  had  friends  with  whom  they  wished  to  serve. 

We  spent  the  day,  while  waiting  for  the  supply  train 
to  bring  us  shoes  and  rations,  in  looking  over  the  earthworks  thrown 
up  by  the  enemy,  and  examining  the  ruined  shops,  houses,  etc. 

Marched  fourteen  miles  by  the  Orange  &  Alexandria 
Wednesday,  Railroad  track  to  Warrenton  Junction.  The  highway 
April  2.  was  terribly  muddy,  and  the  distance  by  it  twice  as  long. 
As  the  company  wagons  failed  to  reach  us,  we  turned  in 
supperless.  In  theory,  marching  on  a  railroad  is  much  more  fatigu 
ing  than  on  the  highway.  It  didn't  seem  to  be  so  in  this  case,  as  the 
men  arrived  in  excellent  order  and  condition.  Bivouacked  in  the 
woods.  From  the  manner  in  which  the  rails  were  torn  up  and 
twisted,  it  was  evident  our  progress  was  to  be  delayed  as  much  as 
possible.  The  shapes  into  which  they  were  turned  gave  rise  to 
the  name  "  Jeff.  Davis'  cravats." 

No  breakfast.  Surely  this  must  be  "  Fast  day." 
Thursday.  "Where,  oh,  where  are  the  teams?"  We  listened  in 
April  3.  vain  for 

"  That  all-softening,  overpowering  knell, 
The  tocsin  of  the  soul  —  the  dinner-bell." 

In  the  afternoon  the  teams  arrived,  bringing  tents  and  food,  and  all 
were  happy. 


48  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Put  the  camp  in  order,  that  is,  as  good  order  as  could 

Friday,          ^e  gOt  out  of  a  svvamp-hole.     We  wondered  who  selected 
this  spot  for  a  camp.     Fresh  meat  was  issued.     After  we 
had   removed  every  particle   of  meat  from  the   bones, 
General  Blenker's  corps,  who  were  in  camp  near  us,  took  the  leavings, 
such  as  bones,  entrails,  etc.,  and  had  a  regular  Thanksgiving  dinner 
on  what  our  luxurious  natures  discarded  as  useless.     In  the  afternoon 
the  Ninth  New  York  band  entertained  us  with  music,  and  not  to  be 
outdone  in  courtesy,  w'e  sent  our  band  to  their  camp.     We  enjoyed 
their  music  and  likewise  the  courtesy  which  prompted  it. 

Sutler  arrived.     The  following  order  was  received  : 

Saturday, 
April  5. 

WASHINGTON,  D.C.,  April  4,  1862. 

MAJ.-GEN.  GEORGE  B.  MCCLELLAX,  Fort  Munroe  : 

Two  new  departments  have  this  day  been  created,  one  called  the  Department  of 
the  Shenandoah,  under  the  command  of  Major-General  Banks,  comprising  that 
portion  of  Virginia  and  Maryland  lying  between  the  Mountain  Department  and 
the  Blue  Ridge;  the  other  to  be  called  the  Department  of  the  Rappahannock, 
under  the  command  of  Major-General  McDowell,  comprising  that  portion  of 
Virginia  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  west  of  the  Potomac  and  Fredericksburgand 
Richmond  Railroad,  including  the  District  of  Columbia  and  the  country  between 
the  Potomac  and  Patuxent. 

(Signed)  L.  THOMAS, 

Adjtitant-  General. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  that  we  were  now  a  part  of  the  Department 
of  the  Rappahannock. 

Company  D,  with  one  company  from  each  regiment  in 
Sunday  t^ie  ^rigac^e  and  a  section  of  artillery,  went  out  on  a  recon- 
April  6.  noissance  to  the  Rappahannock  River,  and  a  rough  time 
they  had  of  it  in  the  rain,  hail,  and  snow,  one  or  the  other 
of  which  prevailed  all  the  time,  while  the  mud  was  indescribable. 
They  left  camp  at  1 1  P.M. 

Inspection.  How  we  loved  this  duty  !  Services  by  the  chaplain, 
who  preached  to  us  about  following  the  flag,  it  being  an  allegorical 
piece  of  word-painting,  inspired  by  a  few  words  he  overheard  a  man 
in  the  New  York  Ninth  say  on  the  way  up  Snicker's  Mountain,  as 
that  regiment  was  ordered  to  "  fall  in." 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  49 

1862.  The  following  communication    was    this   day  sent  to 

General  McClellan  by  Mr.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War  : 

Your  instructions  to  McDowell  did  not  appear  to  contemplate  the  removal  of 
his  force  until  some  time  this  week.  The  enemy  were  reported  to  be  still  in 
force  at  Gordonsville  and  Fredericksburg,  and  threatening  Winchester  and  the 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad.  The  force  under  Banks  and  Wadsworth  was 
deemed  by  experienced  military  men  inadequate  to  protect  Winchester  and  the 
railroad,  and  was  much  less  than  had  been  fixed  by  your  corps  commanders  as 
necessary  to  secure  Washington.  It  was  thought  best,  therefore,  to  detach  either 
McDowell  or  Sumner,  and  as  part  of  Sumner's  corps  was  already  with  you,  it  was 
concluded  to  retain  McDowell. 

This  order  was  commented  on  by  ( General  McClellan  in  a  private 
letter,  as  follows  : 

NEAR  YORKTOWN,  April  6,  1862. 

While  listening  this  P.M.  to  the  sound  of  the  guns,  I  received  an  order 
detaching  McDowell's  corps  from  my  command.  It  is  the  most  infamous  thing 
that  history  has  recorded.  I  have  made  such  representations  as  will  probably 
induce  a  revocation  of  the  order,  or  at  least  save  Franklin  to  me. 

It  is  interesting  to  know  that  he  succeeded  in  saving  Franklin's 
corps.  At  the  time  when  this  was  written  one  might  excuse  such  a 
statement  in  a  man  whose  anger  had  run  away  with  his  judgment,  but 
after  the  lapse  of  twenty  years  to  repeat  it,  as  he  has  done  in  "  His 
Own  Story,"  seems  incredible.  "  The  most  infamous  thing  recorded 
in  history!"  To  a  man  of  McClellan's  conceit  it  may  be  natural 
that  he  should  consider  the  events  of  history  as  insignificant  in  com 
parison  with  his  personal  annoyances. 

The  effect  of  this  order,  so  far  as  we  were  concerned,  was 
important,  inasmuch  as  it  completely  changed  the  current  of  our 
service. 

Monday,  General  Abercrombie  made  the  following  report  of  the 

April  7.          reconnoissance  in  which  Company  I")  took  part  : 

A  reconnoissance  was  made  last  night  to  the  river  where  a  picket  guard  and  a 
few  infantry  were  discovered,  occupying  what  appears  to  be  rifle-pits  and  two 
small  redoubts  of  recent  construction  covering  the  fords.  Some  of  the  slaves 
who  have  come  in  say  the  rebels  appear  to  be  retiring. 

We  wished  as  much  might  be  said  of  the  mud. 


50  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  We  were  obliged  to  resort  to  various  devices  to  keep 

Tuesday,  from  jyjng  m  the  water,  as  our  camp  was  only  suitable  for 
Apnl  8'  amphibious  animals.  It  was  a  great  place  for  malarial 
diseases,  and  was  known  as  "  Camp  Misery."  News  was 
received  of  the  taking  of  "Island  No.  10,"  whereupon  "the  bands 
began  to  play." 

On  this  day  General  McClellan  wrote  as  follows,  according  to  "  His 
Own  Story  "  : 

I  have  raised  an  awful  row  about  McDowell's  corps.  The  President  very  coolly 
telegraphed  me  yesterday  that  he  thought  I  had  better  break  the  enemy's  lines  at 
once  !  I  was  much  tempted  to  reply  that  he  had  better  come  at  once  and  do  it 
himself. 

The  weather  had  been  so  abominable  that  the  wagons 
Wednesday,  were  delayed,  and  hence  our  rations  were  short.  Snowed 
April  9.  hard  in  the  afternoon,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  we  were 

in  "  Ole  Virginny." 

The  following  is  taken  from  a  letter  of  the  President  to  General 
McClellan,  dated  April  9,  1862  : 

MY  DEAR  SIR:  Your  despatches,  complaining  that  you  are  not  properly  sus 
tained,  while  they  do  not  offend  me,  do  pain  me  very  much. 

After  you  left,  I  ascertained  that  less  than  twenty  thousand  unorganized  men, 
without  a  single  field  battery,  were  all  you  designed  to  be  left  for  the  defence  of 
Washington  and  Manassas  Junction;  and  part  of  this  even  was  to  go  to  General 
Hooker's  old  position.  General  Banks'  corps,  once  designed  for  Manassas  Junc 
tion,  was  diverted  and  tied  up  on  the  line  of  Winchester  and  Strasburg,  and  could 
not  leave  it  without  again  exposing  the  upper  Potomac  and  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Railroad.  This  presented,  or  would  present,  when  McDowell  and  Sumner  should 
be  gone,  a  great  temptation  to  the  enemy  to  turn  back  from  the  Rappahannock 
and  sack  Washington.  My  implicit  order  that  Washington  should,  by  the  judg 
ment  of  all  the  commanders  of  army  corps,  be  left  entirely  secure,  had  been  ne 
glected.  It  was  precisely  this  that  drove  me  to  detain  McDowell. 

I  do  not  forget  that  I  was  satisfied  with  your  arrangement  to  leave  Banks  at 
Manassas  Junction;  but  when  that  arrangement  was  broken  up,  and  nothing  was 
substituted  for  it,  of  course  I  was  constrained  to  substitute  something  for  myself. 
And  allow  me  to  ask,  do  you  really  think  I  should  permit  the  line  from  Richmond 
via  Manassas  Junction,  to  this  city,  to  be  entirely  open,  except  what  resistance 
could  be  presented  by  less  than  twenty  thousand  unorganized  troops?  This  is  a 
question  which  the  country  will  not  allow  me  to  evade.  There  is  a  curious  mystery 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  51 

1862.  about  the  number  of  troops  now  with  you.    When  I  telegraphed  you 

on  the  6th,  saying  you  had  over  a  hundred  thousand  with  you,  I 
had  just  obtained  from  the  Secretary  of  War  a  statement  taken,  as  he  said,  from 
your  own  returns,  making  one  hundred  and  eight  thousand  then  with  you  and 
en  route  to  you.  You  now  say  you  will  have  but  eighty-five  thousand  when  all 
en  route  to  you  shall  have  reached  you.  How  can  the  discrepancy  of  twenty- 
three  thousand  be  accounted  for? 

As  to  General  Wool's  command,  it  is  doing  for  you  precisely  what  a  like  num 
ber  of  your  own  would  have  to  do  if  that  command  was  away.  I  suppose  the 
whole  force  which  has  gone  forward  for  you  is  with  you  by  this  time.  And,  if  so, 
I  think  it  is  the  precise  time  for  you  to  strike  a  blow.  By  delay,  the  enemy  will 
relatively  gain  upon  you;  that  is,  he  will  gain  faster  by  fortifications  and  reen- 
forcements  than  you  can  by  reinforcements  alone.  And  once  more  let  me  tell 
you,  it  is  indispensable  to  you  that  you  strike  a  blow.  I  am  powerless  to  help  this. 
You  will  do  me  the  justice  to  remember  I  always  insisted  that  going  down  the 
bay  in  search  of  a  field,  instead  of  fighting  at  or  near  Manassas  Junction,  was  only 
shifting,  and  not  surmounting  a  difficulty;  that  we  would  find  the  same  enemy, 
'and  the  same  or  equal  intrenchments,  at  either  place.  The  country  will  not  fail 
to  note  —  is  now  noting — that  the  present  hesitation  to  move  upon  an  intrenched 
enemy  is  but  the  story  of  Manassas  repeated.  I  beg  to  assure  you  that  I  have 
never  written  to  you  or  spoken  to  you  in  greater  kindness  of  feeling  than  now,  nor 
with  a  fuller  purpose  to  sustain  you,  so  far  as,  in  my  most  anxious  judgment,  I 
consistently  can.  But  you  must  act. 

Yours  very  truly, 
(Signed)  A.  LINCOLN. 

Mud  knee-deep.     Drinking-water,  which  was  obtained 

urs  ay>     by  sinking  a  barrel  in  the  ground,  was  very  bad.     This 
April  10. 

didn  t  seem  so  extraordinary  to  us  inasmuch  as  it  was 

never  good.  A  mild  and  pleasant  day.  As  the  sun 
warmed  the  air,  the  camp  looked  like  a  Turkish  bath.  The  name 
of  the  camp  was  changed  to-day  from  "  Misery  "  to  "  Starvation." 

A  number  of  the  boys  left  behind  at  Hagerstown,  sick, 
Friday,  returned  to  camp  to-day.  A  nice  place  for  a  sick  man. 
April  ii.  i^e  following  order  was  sent  to  General  McDowell  by 

the  Secretary  of  War,  dated  April  1 1  : 

SlR:  For  the  present,  and  until  further  orders  from  this  Department,  you  will 
consider  the  national  capital  as  especially  under  your  protection,  and  make  no 
movement  throwing  your  force  out  of  position  for  the  discharge  of  this  primary 
duty. 


52  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  A  thorough  inspection  of  everything  we  owned  was 

Sunday,        made  to-day,  though  we  were  brought  up  to  believe  Sun- 
April  13.        tjay  was  a  ^av  Qf  regt     rpnjs  inspectjon  business  came 

painfully  often,  we  thought.  We  seemed  to  have  had  a 
good  deal  of  labor  for  the  amount  of  fighting  expected  of  us.  The 
boys  were  getting  listless.  It  must  be  that  malaria  was  getting  in  its 
work.  The  idea  prevailed  that  if  we  didn't  move  camp  pretty  soon, 
the  trump  would  sound  for  the  last  "grand  inspection." 

Had  a  brigade  review  before  General  Abercrombie, 
on  ay,       aioout  four  miies  from  camp.    Our  respect  for  him  had  de 
scended  to  the  point  of  calling  him  "  Old  Crummy." 

An  order  was  issued  to-day  that  Sections  573  to  593 
Wednesday,and  399  to  432  be  read  each  day  to  the  guard  ;  then  it 
April  1 6.  Went  on  to  say :  "  Further,  every  sentinel  will  be 
required  to  keep  his  uniform  and  equipments  in  good 
order.  Neatness  and  uniformity  of  appearance  are  among  the  first 
requisites  of  every  true  soldier." 

The  malaria  must  have  struck  in  at  headquarters  when  that  order 
was  prompted,  or  else  they  were  having  mighty  little  to  do.  Drilling 
two  hours  in  the  mud,  each  afternoon,  to  be  told  afterwards  that 
"neatness  is  the  first  requisite  of  every  true  soldier,"  caused  an 
immediate  flow  of  adjectives. 

Paymaster's  shekels  put  a  halo  on  the  camp,  notwith- 

Friday,          standing  we  were  ordered  by  the  doctor  to  put  vinegar 

April  1 8.        into  tne  water  before  drinking  it.     What  was  the  matter 

with  whiskey?     Soft  bread  was  issued  to  us  to-day;  for 

the  first  time,  it  is  said. 

Instructions  received  about  drawing  and  issuing  whiskey 
Sunday,  in  cases  of  excessive  fatigue  and  exposure.  Very  few  of 
April  21.  ug  tnat  Didn't  think  we  had  both  these  complaints. 
It  took  a  good  deal  of  exposure  and  a  large  amount  of 
fatigue  before  the  rank  and  file  warmed  the  cockles  of  their  hearts 
by  virtue  of  that  order. 

The  rain  which  we  were  having  almost  every  day  added 
Wednesday.no  improvement  to  our  camp  in  the  "  Dismal  Swamp," 
April  23.  as  some  of  the  boys  called  it. 


THIltrEEXTIl    MASS.     VOLS.  53 

1862.  An  inspection  was  made  to-tlay  of  the  men  who  were 

thought  to  be  unfit  for  the  hard  duty  we  were  expecting 
shortly  to  undertake,  with  a  view  of  their  discharge. 

Orders  were  issued  to  commanders  of  regiments  and  by  them  to 
captains  of  companies  to  forward  a  list  of  men  who  were  deemed 
physically  disqualified  to  encounter  the  hardships  and  deprivations 
soon  to  follow,  that  they  might  be  discharged.  There  were  men  in 
the  regiment  whose  patriotism  was  so  sincere  and  so  earnest  that 
when  selected  to  be  sent  home,  they  considered  it  a  great  hard 
ship,  and  were  very  severe  in  their  strictures  on  their  officers.  Their 
willingness  to  do  duty  was  unquestioned,  and  in  a  few  instances  it 
became  a  delicate  and  an  almost  painful  duty  to  make  the  selection, 
but  the  order  was  imperative.  The  army  was  not  to  be  encumbered 
with  sick  men  if  it  was  possible  to  prevent  it,  and  the  time  had  ar 
rived  when  the  physical  abilities  of  each  man  were  known.  We 
mention  this  in  justice  to  the  officers,  some  of  whom  were  very 
severely  criticised  for  their  action  in  this  matter.  The  hardships  and 
privations  which  followed  their  departure,  though  light  in  comparison 
to  those  of  1863-4,  were  very  severe,  because  they  were  new  to  us. 
It  would  have  taken  but  a  few  weeks  to  convince  the  men  selected 
for  discharge  of  the  soundness  of  the  order. 

Chaplain    returned   yesterday    from    Boston,  bringing 

fidf '          letters. 
April  28. 

Orders  were  issued  to  the  picket-guard  that  white  per 
sons  in  the  employ  of  rebel  officers,  or  others  opposed  to  the  U.  S. 
Government,  would  not  be  permitted  to  pass  within  the  line  of  pickets 

Nineteen  guns  were  fired  in  honor  of  the  capture  of  New  Orleans. 

The  boys  grumbled  because  the  brigade  was  not  sent  back  to 
General  Banks.     The  report  was  that  such  a  promise  was  made  some 
weeks  previous. 
Tuesday  ^e  following  order  was  this  day  sent  to  Gen.  Banks  : 

May  I-  WAR  DEI-ARTMENT,  May  i,  1862. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  BATIKS,  A'av  Market  : 

General  Abercrombie  has  been  relieved,  and  General  Hartsuff  assigned  to  his 
command,  with  orders  to  report  to  General  McDowell  temporarily,  and  it  is 
necessary  for  that  force  to  operate  in  McDowell's  department. 

(Signed)  EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


54  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  We  were  glad  when  the  news  reached  us  that  "  Old 

Crummy  "  was  going.  If  the  new  brigadier  would  only 
change  our  camp  to  a  more  salubrious  spot,  he  would  receive  our  last 
ing  gratitude,  was  the  thought  that  dwelt  uppermost  in  our  minds. 

Hangman's  day.     The  following  communication  was 
Friday,         sent  to  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

Maya. 

WARRENTON  JUNCTION,  May  2,  1862. 

Reconnoissances  to  Warrenton,  nine  miles,  show  no  enemy  in  front,  and  none 
reported  nearer  than  Culpepper  Court  House.  Prevailing  rumor  that  Jackson 
went  to  Gordonsville,  thence  to  Yorktown.  I  do  not  believe  it.  Will  keep 
myself  well  posted  and  report.  Present  effective  strength  of  brigade,  five  regi 
ments,  two  of  cavalry,  and  three  batteries — 5,458  men.  Comfortable  in  respect  to 
supplies,  but  a  great  deal  of  sickness.  Four  hundred  and  eighty-six  present 
sick.  Two  hundred  and  eighteen  absent,  sick,  in  various  places.  Two  Indiana 
regiments  to  be  mustered  out  on  the  ninth.  Fifteen  hundred  and  thirty-two 
effective  men.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five  sick.  Two  of  the  batteries  require 
recruits  —  one  thirty-seven,  the  other  twenty-nine.  Much  crippled.  Could  be 
filled  from  Indiana  regiments  about  leaving  service.  Asked  permission  of  General 
Thomas  yesterday,  and  stated  how  it  could  be  done.  No  reply.  Please  spur  him 
up.  Situation  of  camp  unhealthy.  Request  permission  to  change  it  to  Warrenton 
or  some  better  place  in  front.  Will  send  to  General  McDowell  concerning  it. 
Country  in  immediate  vicinity  stripped  and  desolate.  Task  of  correcting 
impressions  left  by  Blenker's  command  very  hard,  but  is  being  performed. 

Respectfully, 

GEO.  L.  HARTSUFF, 

Brigadier-  General. 

There  was  a  vigor  as  well  as  thoughtfulness  about  this  communica 
tion  that  suggested  the  possibility  of  our  being  moved  out  of  the 
"Slough  of  Despond  "  in  which  we  were  living. 

We  had  a  visit  from  General  Hartsuff  to-day.  We  were  glad  to 
learn  he  was  making  efforts  to  change  our  camp,  though  he  should 
have  been  careful  about  thrusting  too  much  happiness  on  us  at  once. 
It  was  a  sad  sight  to  see  some  of  the  boys,  emaciated  with  sickness, 
and  more  fit  to  be  abed,  walking  about  camp  braced  up  with  a  sickly 
smile  of  thanks  at  the  idea  of  moving  from  this  hot-bed  for  pen 
sioners. 

In  appearance,  General  Hartsuff  was  a  tall,  well-proportioned 
man  of  commanding  presence,  his  face  giving  evidence  that  he  would 


TllIRTEEXTIl    MASS.     VOLS.  55 

1862.  require  prompt  and  respectful  obedience,  a  virtue  we  had 

allowed  to  become  choked  with  the  weeds  of  disrespect. 
He  was  the  very  opposite  of  General  Abercrombie  in  age,  physical 
appearance,  and  temper.  General  Abercrombie  graduated  from  West 
Point  in  1821,  and  had,  therefore,  at  the  date  of  his  connection  with 
us,  seen  forty-one  years  of  service.  Upon  leaving  us  he  was  assigned 
to  duty  under  General  McClellan,  where  it  is  said  he  did  excellent 
service  before  his  retirement,  which  soon  followed.  Those  who  were 
closely  associated  with  him,  as  staff-officers,  say  that  notwithstanding 
his  hasty  temper,  he  was  just  and  kind  to  his  subordinates,  whom  he 
held  to  a  strict  performance  of  their  duties,  allowing  no  interference  in 
them  from  others.  For  obvious  reasons  these  good  qualities  escaped 
the  attention  of  men  who  served  in  the  ranks.  As  we  saw  him  he 
seemed  possessed  of  an  irritable  temper,  for  when  excited,  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  using  harsh  and,  to  our  notions,  unreasonable  language. 
We  must  admit  his  temper  was  sorely  tried,  as  we  were  often  caught 
violating  his  orders  about  fence  rails,  and  frequently  forgetting  to  pay 
the  respect  due  his  age  or  his  rank.  We  were  too  fond  of  exciting 
his  temper  by  acts  unbecoming  in  us.  We  were  young  and  thought 
less,  while  he  was  old  and  impatient  from  a  long  and  faithful  ser 
vice.  For  one  reason  or  another  he  failed  to  command  our  respect, 
and  so  didn't  get  it.  We  misunderstood  him  as,  perhaps,  he  did  us ; 
we  made  no  allowance  for  a  man  who  had  been  more  than  twenty 
years  in  the  service  of  his  country  before  most  of  us  were  born,  be 
cause  we  were  unacquainted  with  the  fact ;  but  as  we  look  back  to 
that  youthful  period  of  our  lives,  the  thought  will  suggest  itself,  that 
possibly  a  good  deal  of  the  misunderstanding  was  due  to  ourselves. 
The  testimony  of  those  who  knew  him  best  is  that  he  was  a  fine  old 
fellow.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  we  needed  discipline  when  Gen 
eral  Hartsuff  made  his  appearance. 

Moved  camp  to  a  hill  about  two  miles  back,  and  nearer 
Monday,  Washington.  The  camp  was  beautifully  situated  and 
May  5.  excited  a  feeling  of  joy  among  the  boys.  It  was  pleasant 

to  once  again  see  cheerful  faces. 

We  bade  good-by  to  the  Twelfth  and  Sixteenth  Indiana  regiments 
which  started  for  home,  their  terms  of  enlistment  (one  year)  having 
expired. 


56  TIIEEE    YE  ASS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

They  were  looked  upon  with  envy  by  some  of  us. 

The  passion  for  decorating  camp  broke   out  again  ; 
streets  were  ornamented  with  boughs  and  trees,  making 

Tuesday, 

May  6.          an  effective  picture. 

In  the  afternoons,  after  battalion  drill,  the  game  of 
base-ball  daily  occupied  the  attention  of  the  boys.  On  one  of  these 
occasions,  General  Hartsuff  riding  by,  got  off  his  horse  and  requested 
permission  to  catch  behind  the  bat,  informing  us  there  was  nothing 
he  enjoyed  so  much.  He  gave  it  up  after  a  few  minutes  and  rode 
away,  having  made  a  very  pleasant  impression,  without  in  the  least 
sacrificing  his  dignity  or  suggesting  the  lessening  of  his  discipline,  the 
cords  of  which  we  already  noticed  were  tightening.  It  was  pretty 
certain  he  was  testing  us  one  way  or  another.  We  were  subsequently 
informed  that  when  General  Hartsuff  took  command  of  the  brigade 
he  made  inquiries  about  the  qualifications  of  the  regiments  compos 
ing  it,  all  of  whom  were  spoken  of  in  words  of  praise  except  the 
Thirteenth,  the  members  of  which  being  characterized  as  "  a  d — d 
insubordinate  lot."  As  General  Hartsuff  had  some  practical  notions 
about  estimating  soldiers,  he  reserved  his  judgment  until  such  time 
as  he  could  satisfy  himself  by  his  own  observation. 

The  morning  after  our  carnp-ground  was  changed,  at  an  early  hour, 
before  officers  or  men  were  supposed  to  be  up,  except,  of  course,  the 
guard,  he  walked  into  our  camp  to  see  what  its  condition  might  be. 
General  Hartsuff  was  an  exacting  officer  in  this  respect,  as  all  West 
Point  officers  were.  The  cleanliness  of  our  camp  was  the  one  thing 
of  all  others  in  which  the  regiment  took  a  special  pride,  and  this  oc 
casion  was  no  exception,  and  its  appearance  wiped  out  all  the  severe, 
though  not  untruthful  words  of  General  Abercrombie. 

Among  the  rations  issued  to  the  army  were  beans.  For  a  long 
time  it  was  the  custom  of  company  cooks  to  stew  them  in  large 
kettles.  This  method  of  cooking  them  was  not  very  satisfactory,  but 
was  pursued  until  some  one  hit  on  the  plan  of  baking  them  in  the 
ground,  which  was  done  by  digging  a  hole  large  enough  to  receive 
the  biggest  camp-kettle.  When  this  was  done,  a  fire  was  built  in  the 
hole  and  kept  going  all  day.  The  beans,  having  been  parboiled  and 
properly  seasoned,  were  placed  in  the  kettle  with  a  liberal  allowance 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  57 

1862.  of  pork,  and  sunk  into  the  hole,  resting  on  the  embers, 

where  it  remained  until  morning.  On  the  top  of  the 
kettle,  after  it  had  first  been  covered  by  a  mess-pan,  flat  stones  were 
placed  and  a  fire  built  on  them.  In  the  morning  the  stones  were 
removed  and  the  kettle  lifted  out  for  the  distribution  of  its  contents. 
With  proper  attention  to  details,  the  result  was  sure  to  be  an  un 
qualified  success. 

While  walking  about  the  camp  General  Hartsuff  came  suddenly 
upon  the  cook  of  one  of  the  companies,  who  was  at  that  moment  too 
busily  engaged  in  removing  the  stones  and  snuffing  the  aroma  from 
a  kettle  of  beans  to  notice  or  care  who  the  intruder  was,  supposing, 
of  course,  it  must  be  some  comrade  from  a  neighboring  tent. 

"  Good  morning,"  said  the  general. 

"  Good  morning,"  growled  the  cook. 

"  What  have  you  there?"  said  the  general. 

"  Beans,  you  d — n  fool,  what  do  you  s'pose?" 

"  I'm  fond  of  beans,"  remarked  the  general,  "  and  wouldn't  mind 
if  I  had  some,  they  look  so  nice,"  he  continued. 

Without  looking  round,  the  cook  replied,  "  Go  to  h — 1  !  S'pose  we 
feed  every  d — n  bummer  round  camp?" 

This  was  too  much  for  the  general,  who  returned  to  his  tent  with 
out  being  identified,  and  lying  down  on  his  bed,  indulged  in  unre 
strained  laughter,  until  his  quartermaster  ( \vlio  was  our  quartermas 
ter  detailed  for  duty  on  his  staff)  inquired  the  cause  of  his  mirth. 
After  hearing  the  story,  the  quartermaster  rode  over  to  camp  to  learn 
who  was  the  hero  of  this  adventure,  and,  if  possible,  have  a  little  fun 
at  the  man's  expense.  He  soon  discovered  that  it  was  the  cook  of 
Company  I,  whom  he  accosted  and  explained  the  circumstance  of 
the  morning.  The  cook  was  terribly  agitated  when  it  was  related  to 
him  that  General  Hartsuff  was  the  man  with  whom  he  was  talking  in 
the  morning,  and  that  he  was  grievously  offended,  and  meant  to 
make  an  example  of  this  piece  of  insubordination.  After  playing  on 
his  feelings  for  some  time,  the  quartermaster  suggested  that  perhaps 
the  temper  of  the  general  might  be  soothed  if  a  dish  of  these  same 
beans  was  sent  to  him.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  the  gen 
eral  was  not  only  liberally  provided  that  morning,  but  each  subse 
quent  morning  when  beans  were  cooked  for  the  company. 


58  THREE    YE  AIIS    JJV    THE    All  MY. 

1862.  An  order  was  sent  to  General  McDowell  by  the  Sec- 

Wednesday,  retary  Of  \yar  ><  to  get  his  force  well  in  hand  for  move- 
May  7'          ment,  and  push  on  his  bridges  to  as  rapid  completion  as 

possible.  It  is  not  yet  perfectly  clear  what  the  move 
ment  of  the  force  lately  in  Yorktown  will  be." 

We  saw  General  Hartsuff  riding  into  camp  every  day, 
Thursday,  watching  our  drills  and  observing  us  generally.  Every 
May  8.  man  was  made  to  come  to  his  feet  and  salute  as  he  passed, 

and  woe  betide  the  man  who  forgot  that  duty.  Already 
the  officers,  it  was  said,  had  been  told  that  "  obedience  is  the  first 
duty  of  a  soldier."  Some  of  the  boys  still  growled  at  the  tautness  of 
the  discipline,  but  as  a  rule  they  cordially  acquiesced.  It  was  begin 
ning  to  dawn  upon  us  that  he  was  a  man  of  sense  as  well  as  strict 
ness.  We  were  beginning  to  like  him.  though  no  great  love  had 
yet  been  expressed. 

The   colonel   exercised   his   skill   in   drilling  us  every 

' n  ay'          afternoon,  and  we  found  it  tough  work. 
May  9. 

The  band  of  the  Twelfth  Massachusetts  left  for  home 
to-day.     We  hoped    the    day  was  far  distant  when  we 
should    lose   ours.     These   evidences  of   curtailment  suggested  that 
some  work  was  being  cut  out  for  us. 

The    following    order    from   General   Hartsuff  was   read   at  dress 

parade  : 

HEADQUARTERS,  SECOND  BRIGADE, 

CAMP  STANTON,  May  9,  1862. 

In  passing  through  the  camps  of  his  command,  the  general  commanding  the 
brigade  observes  very  much  to  commend  and  be  proud  of  in  the  general  appear 
ance  and  drill  and  intelligence  of  the  men.  There  is,  however,  in  some 
regiments,  a  grave  defect  which  officers  and  men  must  set  themselves  immediately 
at  work  to  correct.  It  is  a  lack  of  the  proper  respect  and  attention  in  the  manner 
of  the  soldier  to  his  officer.  Nothing  produces  a  more  favorable  impression  of 
the  character  and  discipline  of  troops  than  strict  attention  to  these  forms. 
Soldiers,  instead  of  saluting  in  a  lounging,  careless  manner,  or  even  lying  stretched 
at  full  length,  or  sitting  on  the  ground,  as  has  been  observed  when  officers  pass, 
should  instantly  assume  an  erect  position,  and  soldierlike,  manly  bearing,  and 
salute  his  officer  in  the  proper  manner.  The  same  position  and  appearance 
should  also  be  kept  in  addressing  an  officer,  instead  of  putting  the  hands  on  the 
hips,  or  leaning  against  something  for  support. 

Strict  attention  to  this  will  hereafter  be  required  on  the  part  of  all  officers  and 
soldiers. 


TIlIliTEKXTir    JMS.S.     \'OLS.  59 

1862.  "ATTENTION,   COMPANY!" 

Saturday,  The  fonowjng  was  sent  to   tiie  Secretary  of  War  by 

General  McDowell : 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  RAPPAHANNOCK, 

OPPOSITE  FREDERICKSBURG,  May  10,  1862. 
HON.  K.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War: 

I  have  thrown  three  new  regiments  across  the  river.  Have  ordered  Duryea's 
brigade  to  relieve  Hartsuff  and  the  latter  to  join  me  here,  leaving  a  battery  and  a 
regiment  of  cavalry  with  Duryea  at  Catlett's." 

This  seemed  to  destroy  our  hopes  of  getting  back  under  Banks, 
which  we  had  been  looking  forth  to. 

The  following  inquiry  was  made  of  (Ieneral  McDowell 
y'         by  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

May  ii. 

Could  not  Gordonsville  and  Charlottesville  be  easily  reached  by  a  sudden  dash 
of  IlartsufPs  forces  in  concert  with  yours,  and  the  railroad  bridges  either  held  or 
broken,  so  that  they  could  not  be  used  by  the  enemy,  either  retreating  or  advanc 
ing? 

The  brigade  was  reviewed  by  General  Hartsuff,  after  which  we 
escorted  the  Twelfth  Massachusetts  back  to  its  camp. 

An  order  was  issued  to-day  by  General  Hartsuff  to  march  to-mor 
row.  Among  other  matters  appeared  the  following  paragraphs  : 

Tents  will  be  struck,  the  baggage-wagons  loaded,  trains  straightened  out,  and 
the  regiments  formed  under  arms  in  marching  order,  on  their  respective  parade 
grounds.  Companies  will  then  be  quickly  inspected  by  the  captains,  under  super 
vision  of  the  colonels.  Cartridge-boxes  and  canteens  will  be  full,  and  at  the 
signal,  the  line  of  march  will  be  taken  up. 

During  the  march  no  straggling  will  be  permitted.  The  march  at  starting, 
and  after  each  halt,  will  be  in  close  order,  at  "  shouldered  arms,"  until  the  column 
is  in  motion,  when  the  command  "  route  step,"  given  from  the  head  of  the  column, 
will  be  rapidly  repeated  to  the  rear.  Captains  will  fall  to  the  rear  of  their  com 
panies,  leaving  a  lieutenant  in  front,  and  will  see  that  none  of  their  men  leave 
the  ranks  without  written  permission,  for  which  purpose  each  will  prepare  before 
hand  a  number  of  slips  of  paper,  or  a  little  book.  If  a  soldier  leaves  the  ranks 
temporarily  for  a  necessary  purpose,  his  arms  and  equipments  will  be  distributed 
amongst  and  carried  by  his  set  of  fours  until  his  return.  The  rear-guard  will  take 
into  custody  all  stragglers  without  permission,  and  will  turn  them  over  to  the 
provost  marshal  after  arriving  in  camp. 

«  Oh,  Tom  !     Cold  tea  !  " 


60  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

1862.  HOT  day.     Uniform  coats  were   packed  and  sent  to 

Monday,        Boston,  except  in  those  instances  where  they  were  thrown 
May  I2'        away.     Once  again  our  knapsacks  had  grown   fat  with 

camp  life,  and  had  to  be  trained  down.  The  gossip  of 
the  camp  said  the  orders  were  "  On  to  Richmond."  In  spite  of  the 
explicit  directions  of  yesterday,  there  was  a  good  deal  of  confusion 
in  camp,  due  to  packing  and  sending  superfluous  baggage  home. 

We  got  away  at  last  and  marched  to  Elk  Run,  six  miles,  where  we 
bivouacked.  During  the  night  General  McDowell  came  through  the 
picket  line  from  Fredericksburg.  He  should  have  been  cautioned, 
when  approaching  a  picket  line  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  to  respond 
to  the  guard's  challenge  with  more  promptness,  and  not  wait  until  he 
heard  the  clicking  of  the  sentinel's  gun  before  he  answered,  particu 
larly  when  he  came  from  the  outside,  as  he  did  on  this  particular 
night.  On  being  ordered  to  halt  by  a  picket-guard,  one  should  obey 
mighty  quick  and  answer  the  challenge  without  delay,  otherwise  he 
might  be  gathered  to  his  fathers.  The  salvation  of  the  camp  often 
depends  upon  the  wakefulness  and  quickness  of  the  picket- guard. 
On  this  moonlight  night,  General  McDowell,  with  a  large  retinue, 
halted  quick  enough,  but  his  delay  in  giving  the  countersign  might 
have  cost  the  life  of  himself  or  one  of  his  attendants.  A  general 
ought  to  know  better. 

About  six  o'clock  we  took  up  the  line  of  march  tow- 
Thursday,  ard  Falmouth,  halting  late  in  the  afternoon,  after 
May  13.  tramping  eighteen  miles.  The  heat,  which  was  above 

one  hundred  degrees,  with  a  bright  sun  and  not  a  breath 
of  wind,  was  so  intense  that  both  men  and  horses  dropped  to  the 
ground  overcome  by  it.  On  no  march,  before  or  after,  were  the 
men  so  terriblv  affected  as  on  this  occasion.  For  more  than  a  dozen 


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THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  (\l 

1862.  miles,  the  road  on  either  side  \vas  ornamented  by  the 

prostrate  bodies  of  men  who  were  unable  to  keep  along. 
More  than  fifty  cases  of  sunstroke  in  the  brigade  were  reported, 
while  only  seventy-five  of  our  regiment  reached  camp  at  the  end  of 
the  march.  After  dark  the  balance  of  the  regiment  straggled  into 
camp,  so  that  by  roll-call  in  the  morning  nearly  all  were  present. 
One  of  the  reasons  given  for  making  the  march  so  long  was  the 
difficulty  of  finding  water  suitable  and  in  sufficient  quantities  to  sup 
ply  the  brigade.  We  were  in  no  condition  for  marching,  after  more 
than  a  month  of  comparative  idleness  in  a  swamp  where  the  physical 
condition  of  the  men  had  become  more  or  less  affected  by  our 
malarial  surroundings. 

At  7  A.M.,  in  rain  and  mud,  we  resumed  our  march 
Wednesday,  through  Falmouth,  halting  near  General  McDowell's 
May  14.  headquarters,  about  eight  miles  from  our  starting  point. 
Here  we  waited  two  hours  in  the  rain  before  the  regi 
mental  wagons  arrived.  In  the  meantime  we  settled  the  responsi 
bility  of  yesterday's  work  by  placing  the  blame  on  McDowell,  not 
withstanding  the  question  of  water  was  said  to  be  the  real  cause  of 
our  lengthened  march. 

We  had  an  evidence,  to-day,  of  the  Government's  thoughtfulness, 
that  came  quite  unexpectedly.  As  there  was  "balm  in  Gilead,"  so 
there  appeared  to  be  in  Falmouth.  Rations  of  whiskey  had 
occasionally  been  issued  to  the  guard  on  outpost  duty  in  the  morning 
after  a  hard  night  of  exposure.  The  night  the  regiment  bivouacked 
at  Berryville,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  a  very  stormy  night.  When 
the  outpost  guard  returned  to  camp  in  the  morning,  the  boys  were 
wet  through  to  the  skin  and  in  a  very  unhappy  condition.  It  was 
thought  a  ration  of  whiskey  might  restore  them  to  their  usual  happy 
frame  of  mind,  so  the  sergeant  was  urged  by  the  guard  to  make  ap 
plication  to  General  Abercrombie,  and  he  thereupon  repaired  to  the 
general's  tent.  After  hearing  the  request,  the  general  walked  to 
the  door  of  his  tent,  looked  at  the  sky,  which  had  become  clear, 
and  with  emphatic  gruffness  replied,  "  \Ve  never  issue  whiskey  in 
pleasant  weather  !  "  whereupon  the  sergeant  hastily  retreated. 

The  occasions  when  a  ration  of  whiskey  was  issued  to  a  brigade 


62  THREE    YEARS    J.V    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  were  very  rare.     General  Ord  was  convinced,  however, 

that  on  this  particular  day  the  condition  of  his  men  would 
be  improved  by  it,  and  we  were  thereupon  ordered  to  fall  in  line  for 
that  purpose.  A  large  majority  of  the  boys  believed  that  nothing 
ought  to  interfere  with  putting  down  rum,  but  insisted  that  it  should 
go,  like  all  communications  to  or  from  the  Government,  "  through 
the  proper  channel."  There  were  some  among  us,  however,  who, 
while  apparently  possessing  the  same  belief,  "down  with  rum"  dif 
fered  very  radically  as  to  the  manner  of  putting  it  down,  as  one  of 
their  number  on  receiving  his  ration,  immediately  turned  it  on  to  the 
ground  ;  a  proceeding  that  excited  a  howl  of  indignation,  not  at  the 
waste  of  the  material,  but  at  so  gross  an  act  of  insubordination  in 
disobeying  the  order  of  his  superior  officers,  who  expected  him  to 
drink  it. 

We  found  the  whiskey  was  highly  impregnated  with  quinine,  but  as 
some  of  the  boys  remarked,  "  the  whiskey  was  there."  It  is  won 
derful  how  this  terrible  enemy  of  mankind  is  able  to  warm  so 
effectually  the  cockles  of  the  heart,  and  make  the  dreariest  weather 
seem  as  soft  and  mellow  as  a  summer's  day.  We  commended 
General  Ord  very  highly  for  this  evidence  of  his  intelligence. 

Rained    hard   all   day.     The   rain   was    unnecessary, 
u  except  to  deepen  the  mud,  which  it  admirably  succeeded 

in  doing. 

Occasionally  the  safety-valve  of  some  soldier,  wading 
through  it,  would  give  way  and  the  name  of  that  ancient  goddess, 
"  Helen  Damnation,"  would  be  heard,  expressed  in  the  same 
emphatic  tones  that  has  accompanied  her  name  for  hundreds 
of  years. 

The  following  order  was  received  : 
Friday, 
May  16.  HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  RAPPAHANNOCK, 

OPPOSITE  FREDERICKSBURG,  VA.,  May  16,  1862. 
GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  13. 

A  division  to  be  composed  of  Brigadier-Generals  Ricketts'  and  HartsufiPs  brig 
ades  of  infantry  and  Brigadier-General  Bayard's  cavalry  brigade  is  hereby  formed, 
to  be  commanded  by  Major-General  Ord,  who  will  immediately  proceed  to  organ 
ize  the  same. 

By  command  of  Major-General  McDowell. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  63 

l862-  We  took  a  great  fancy  to  General  Orel,  though  we  still 

looked  forward  to  our  return  to  General  Banks. 

An  order  was  received  to  make  requisition  for  "  shelter  "  tents. 

The  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  joined  our  brigade  to-day. 

Hartsuff  s  brigade,  as  now  formed,  consisted  of  the  Ninth  New 
York  (scheduled  as  the  Eighty-third  Volunteers),  the  Eleventh  Penn 
sylvania,  and  the  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth  Massachusetts,  and  these 
regiments  continued  together  in  the  same  division  during  the  re 
mainder  of  our  service,  and  for  many  months  we  were  together  in 
the  same  brigade,  an  unusual  circumstance,  we  believe. 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  we  are  able  to  speak  in  terms  of  ad 
miration  of  the  uniform  kindliness  that  existed  amonsr  those  old  retri- 

o  o 

ments.  There  grew  up,  among  the  officers  and  men,  a  warm  feeling 
of  attachment.  Probably  the  fame  it  acquired  was,  in  a  great  meas 
ure,  due  to  the  harmony  that  continued  so  long  undisturbed.  There 
were  no  bickerings  or  quarrels,  and  whichever  regiment  had  the  ad 
vance,  a  feeling  of  reliance  was  felt  that  near  by  were  men  who  were 
watching  for  an  opportunity  to  aid  with  their  assistance  a  doubtful 
moment.  It  always  happens  that  when  soldiers  have  been  long  to 
gether,  they  acquire  a  confidence  and  faith  in  each  other  that  makes 
their  service  of  great  value  in  important  exigencies.  The  Eighty- 
third  New  York  Volunteers  was  the  "  Ninth  New  York  National 
Guard,"  composed  of  a  superior  class  of  men,  whose  homes  were  in 
New  York  City.  It  was  one  of  the  old  militia  organizations  of  the 
State,  and  was  among  the  first  regiments  to  volunteer  for  three  years. 
The  esprit  dc  corps  which  it  showed  in  retaining  its  old  number, 
"The  Ninth  New  York,"  in  spite  of  the  number  assigned  by  the 
Government,  indicates  the  pride  felt  in  the  record  it  had  made  prior 
to  the  war.  It  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Stiles. 

The  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  was  another  good  regiment,  raised 
among  the  mountains  of  western  Pennsylvania,  and  was  commanded 
by  Colonel  Richard  Coulter,  than  whom  a  better  fighting  man 
never  lived.  He  was  beloved  by  his  old  regiment,  as  he  was  by  every 
officer  and  man  in  the  brigade. 

The  Twelfth  Massachusetts,  commanded  by  Colonel  Fletcher  Web 
ster,  was  in  no  way  inferior  to  the  others.  It  was  nearer  related  to 


64  THREE    YEARS    IX    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  us  than  either  of  the  others,  being  raised  in  the  same 

community.  By  reason  of  this  fact,  our  association  was 
more  intimate,  and  as  it  has  been  our  fortune  to  meet  its  members 
more  frequently  since  the  war,  the  attachment  has  flourished.  To 
read  the  history  of  either  of  these  regiments,  is  reading  our  own  story. 
Each  had  some  qualification  that  attracted  the  admiration  of  the 
other.  If  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  called  us  the  "  Bandbox  Guard," 
we  laughed,  for  we  knew  it  contained  no  reflection  on  our  courage, 
but  had  reference  to  our  taste  for  prinking,  which  we  indulged  to 
some  extent  during  the  early  part  of  our  service.  Our  battles, 
marches  and  picket  duty  we  shared  together  for  many  months. 

Moved  camp  in  the  afternoon,  about  three  miles  on  the 
Saturday,      rOad  to  White  Oak  Chapel ;  a  pleasant  spot. 
May  17.  General  Ord  assumed  command  of  the  division. 

The  programme  laid  out  for  McDowell's  command,  of 
which  we  still  were  a  part,  was  comprehended  in  the  following  com 
munication  to  General  McClellan,  and  in  considering  what  really 
followed,  is  interesting  reading  : 

WASHINGTON,  May  17,  1862. 

MAJ.-GEN.  GEORGE  B.  MCCLELLAN,  Commanding  Army  of  the   Potomac,  before 
Richmond : 

GENERAL  :  Your  despatch  asking  reinforcements  has  been  received  and  care 
fully  considered. 

The  President  is  not  willing  to  uncover  the  capital  entirely,  and  it  is  believed 
that,  even  if  this  were  prudent,  it  would  require  more  time  to  effect  a  junction 
between  your  army  and  that  of  the  Rappahannock,  by  the  way  of  the  Potomac 
and  York  rivers,  than  by  a  land  march.  In  order,  therefore,  to  increase  the 
strength  of  the  attack  upon  Richmond  at  the  earliest  moment,  General  McDowell 
has  been  ordered  to  march  upon  that  city  by  the  shortest  route.  He  is  ordered  — 
keeping  himself  always  in  position  to  save  the  capital  from  all  possible  attack — so 
to  operate  as  to  put  his  left  wing  in  communication  with  your  right  wing,  and  you 
are  instructed  to  cooperate  so  as  to  establish  this  communication  as  soon  as 
possible,  by  extending  your  right  wing  to  the  north  of  Richmond.  It  is  believed 
that  this  communication  can  be  safely  established  either  north  or  south  of  the 
Pamunky  river.  In  any  event  you  will  be  able  to  prevent  the  main  body  of  the 
enemy's  forces  from  leaving  Richmond  and  falling  in  overwhelming  force  upon 
General  McDowell.  He  will  move  with  between  35,000  and  40,000  men. 

A  copy  of  the  instructions  to  General  McDowell  are  with  this.  The  specific 
task  assigned  to  his  command  has  been  to  provide  against  any  danger  to  the 
capital  of  the  nation. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  05 

1862.  At  your  earnest  call   for  reinforcements  he  is  sent  forward  to 

cooperate  in  the  reduction  of  Richmond,  but  charged,  in  attempting 
this,  not  to  uncover  the  city  of  Washington,   and  you  svill  give  no  order,  either 
before  or  after  your  junction,  which  can  put  him  out  of  position  to  cover  this 
city.     You  and  he  will  communicate  with  each  other,  by  telegraph  or  otherwise, 
as  frequently  as  may  be  necessary  for  sufficient  cooperation.      When  General  Mc 
Dowell  is  in  position  on  your  right,  his  supplies  must  be  drawn  from  West  Point, 
and  you  will  instruct  your  staff  officers  to  be  prepared  to  supply  him  by  that  route. 
The  President  desires  General  McDowell  to  retain  the  command  of  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Rappahannock  and  of  the  forces  with  which  he  moves  forward. 
By  order  of  the  President, 

EDWIN  M.  STANTOX, 

Secretary  of  War. 

MEMORANDUM  IN  HANDWRITING  OK  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  OF  HIS  PROPOSED 
ADDITIONS  TO  INSTRUCTIONS  OK  ABOVE  DATE  (MAY  17)  TO  GENERAL 
MCDOWELL,  AND  GENERAL  MEIGS'  INDORSEMENT  THEREON. 

You  will  retain  the  separate  command  of  the  forces  taken  with  you;  but 
while  cooperating  with  General  McClellan  you  will  obey  his  orders,  except  that 
you  are  to  judge,  and  are  not  to  allow  your  force  to  be  disposed  otherwise  than  so 
as  to  give  the  greatest  protection  to  this  capital  which  may  be  possible  from  that 
distance. 

INDORSEMENT. 
To  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

The  President  having  shown  this  to  me,  I  suggested  that  it  is  dangerous  to  di 
rect  a  subordinate  not  to  obey  the  orders  of  his  superior  in  any  case,  and  that  to 
give  instructions  to  General  McClellan  to  this  same  end,  and  furnish  General  Mc 
Dowell  with  a  copy  thereof,  would  effect  the  object  desired  by  the  President.  He 
desires  me  to  say  that  the  sketch  of  instructions  to  General  McClellan  herewith  he 
thought  made  this  addition  unnecessary. 

Respectfully, 

M.  C.  M. 

General  Meigs  was  right. 

Indignation  meetings  were  held,  because  we  were  to  change  our 
" Sibley  tents"  for  "  shelters."  We  still  retained  a  wonderful  regard 
for  our  personal  comfort.  Hard  work  made  us  cross  and  unreason 
able.  As  we  recall  the  mutterings  of  discontent  that  found  utterance 
at  this  deprivation,  we  are  reminded  of  what  a  distinguished  English 
officer  says  about  enlisted  men  :  "  That  to  four  out  of  five,  the  ma 
terials  of  army  service  are  things  of  no  consequence  whatsoever." 
Perhaps  not  to  the  man  who  has  felt  the  magic  power  of  the 


66  THREE    YE AKS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  "Queen's  shilling,"  but  to  those  of  us  who  paid  $12.50 

for  the  privilege  of  enlisting  in  the  Thirteenth  Regiment, 
with  the  expectation  of  sharing  the  colonel's  tent,  this  seems  the 
veriest  nonsense. 

Religious  services.     The   entire  brigade  being  in  at- 
Sunday,        tendance,   it   made  a   fine  appearance,  sitting  on   the 

May  18.          grass. 

Company    D  ordered  to  report  to   General  Ord  as 
body-guard. 

The  following  order  was  received  to-day  from  brigade  headquar 
ters  : 

I.  Commanders    of   regiments  and  detachments  of    this  brigade  will  send  in 
requisitions  immediately  for  sufficient  ammunition  to  make  in  all    200  rounds  — 
small-arms  and  artillery. 

II.  It  is  directed  from  headquarters  of  the  department  that  the  camp  equipage 
of  this  division  be  reduced  to  the  limits  observed  by  the  other  divisions  of  the  corps. 
Tents  will  be    vacated    when  the  division  marches,  and   turned  over   standing. 
Shelter  tents  will  be  supplied   to  replace  them.     Baggage  of  officers  will  be  re 
duced  to  the  lowest  limits.      The  transportation  allowed    is  live  wagons  to  each 
regiment;    one  wagon  to  each  regimental  hospital;    two  wagons  to  brigade  head 
quarters;   twenty  wagons  as  supply  and  ammunition  train  to  each  brigade  quar 
termaster.    Regimental  and  brigade  quartermasters  will  act  as  ordnance  officers. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  that  the  Government  continued  its  confi 
dence  in  believing  the  private  soldier  would  not  carry  more  than  he 
thought  he  needed,  and  to  his  credit,  be  it  said,  that  this  confidence 
was  never  abused. 

An  order  was  issued  to-day  by  General  Ord  that 

Attendance  at  divine  service  is  not  compulsory  on  the  officers  or  men  of  his 
command.  The  general  desires  and  hopes  to  see  large  attendance,  but  leaves  it 
discretionary  with  the  troops.  Captains  or  commanders  of  companies  will  per 
mit  all  who  apply  to  be  excused. 

Having  no  recollection  that  any  such  privilege  was  accorded  the 
rank  and  file,  we  conclude  that,  like  the  clouds  that  lowered  round 
the  house  of  York,  it  was  "  in  the  deep  bosom  of  the  ocean  buried." 

In  the  early  history  of  the  country,  when  attending  divine  service, 
guns  were  used  as  an  antidote  for  premature  baldness,  but  with  the 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  67 

1862.  lapse  of  two  hundred  years,  the  red  man  and  his  toma 

hawk  had  disappeared,  and  with  him  the  prejudices  of 
our  ancestors,  so  that,  to  our  modern  ways  of  thinking,  the  carrying 
of  guns  to  church  seemed  in  opposition  to  the  peaceful  influences  of 
religion.  The  only  reason  for  such  action,  that  we  could  think  of, 
was  their  use  as  a  charm  to  ward  off  the  machinations  of  the  devil, 
while  the  chaplain  got  in  his  work  for  the  Lord.  A  word  should  be 
said  in  behalf  of  our  chaplain,  lest  any  one  should  suppose  him  un 
popular.  He  was  liberal  in  thought,  and  an  earnest  and  attractive 
speaker,  who  rarely  ever  preached  to  us  that  he  didn't  say  some 
thing  worth  hearing,  to  a  thoughtful  mind.  His  sermon  on  the  text, 
"  Let  us  be  jolly,"  the  favorite  saying  of  Mark  Tapley,  preached  at  a 
time  when  officers  and  men  were  thoroughly  disheartened,  acquired 
much  notoriety  by  extensive  notice  in  the  newspapers.  His  tempera 
ment  was  so  sanguine  and  so  cheerful  that  his  approach  was  always 
hailed  with  delight.  He  admirably  filled  the  duties  of  his  position, 
and  had  he  lived,  would  have  been  the  man  above  all  others  most 
fitted,  by  education  and  natural  gifts,  to  have  written  our  history. 
To  us,  therefore,  his  death  was  a  great  loss. 

A  review  of  the  corps  by  General  McDowell,  and  an 
M  e  imposing  spectacle  it  was,  with  nearly  40,000  men  in  line. 

The  regiments  were  formed  en  masse,  and  as  the  field 
was  not  large  enough,  the  extreme  left  was  at  right  angle  with  the 
main  line.  As  our  brigade  was  on  the  left  we  had  an  excellent  view 
of  this  grand  and  imposing  spectacle.  General  McDowell  must  have 
felt  proud  at  the  appearance  of  his  command.  As  he  rode  down  the 
line,  each  regiment  and  detachment  cheered  him,  until  he  reached 
the  Thirteenth,  when  he  was  met  with  silence.  As  already  has  been 
said,  we  did  not  like  him. 

"  We  do  not  like  you,  Doctor  Fell, 
The  reason  why  we  cannot  tell; 
But  this  we  know,  and  that  full  well, 
We  do  not  like  you,  Doctor  Fell." 

According  to  our  idea,  he  appeared  to  be  very  much  wrought  up  at 
this  evidence  of  our  dislike.  Whether  this  was  true  or  not,  every 
disagreeable  order  that  followed  from  his  headquarters  was  inter- 


68  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  preted,  in  our  conceit,  as  the  result  of  this  lack  of  demon 

stration  on  our  part.     Once  possessed  with  this  idea  we 
took  every  occasion  to  give  annoying  expression  to  our  feelings. 

We  had  the  honor  of  being  selected  as  one  of  three  regiments 
to  show  our  efficiency  in  drilling.  So  far  as  drilling  was  concerned 
it  was  generally  conceded  that  the  Thirteenth  could  hold  its  own 
with  the  best  regiments,  as  the  colonel  had  drilled  and  drilled  us  in 
the  most  complicated  movements,  and  he  was  a  genius  in  that  line. 
Only  a  master  in  the  art  of  military  drill  would  have  dared  to  under 
take,  on  an  occasion  of  this  kind,  what  he  did  with  perfect  confidence 
on  that  day.  We  were  the  last  of  the  three  regiments  to  march  out. 
Having  wheeled  into  line  and  presented  arms,  the  colonel,  in  that 
clear  voice  which  could  always  be  heard  the  length  of  the  line,  with 
out  hesitation,  called  out  order  after  order  for  thirty  minutes  without 
stopping  to  recover  distances,  if  such  were  lost,  until  the  last  move 
ment  was  made  and  we  were  marched  off  the  field.  We  almost 
forgot  our  dislike  for  McDowell  in  the  generous  applause  he  gave  us. 

In  obedience  to  orders  from  General  McDowell  we  were 
e          ay, 


three  hours  a  day  in  heavy  marching  order,  par 
ticular  attention  being  given  to  marching.  As  we  marched 
down  the  road,  men  from  other  regiments  remarked  that  they  pre 
ferred  cheering  to  drilling  with  knapsacks,  conveying  the  erroneous 
impression  that  this  unusual  duty  was  in  consequence  of  our  silence 
at  the  review.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  orders  for  this  duty  had  been 
issued  to  the  whole  corps,  though  it  was  some  time  before  we  were 
aware  of  it  ;  in  the  meantime  we  supposed  we  were  an  exception, 
and  unjustly  scored  one  against  McDowell. 

It  was  hard  work,  but  admirably  fitted  us  for  the  arduous  duties 
we  were  very  soon  called  upon  to  perform.  Each  time  we  turned 
out  for  this  duty  our  knapsacks  were  inspected  to  see  that  they  con 
tained  all  our  worldly  goods,  so  there  was  no  shirking. 

The  following  despatch  was  sent  to  General  McClellan  under  this 
date  : 

Your  long  despatch  of  yesterday  just  received.  You  will  have  just  such  control 
of  General  McDowell  and  his  force  as  you  therein  indicate.  McDowell  can  reach 
you  by  land  sooner  than  he  could  get  aboard  of  boats,  if  the  boats  were  ready  at 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  69 

1862.  Freclerickshurg,  unless  his  march  shall  be  resisted,  in  which  case 

the  force  resisting  him  will  certainly  not  be  confronting  you  at 
Richmond.  By  land  we  can  reach  you  in  five  days  after  starting  ;  whereas  by 
water  he  would  not  reach  you  in  two  weeks,  judging  by  past  experience.  Frank 
lin's  single  division  did  not  reach  you  in  ten  days  after  I  ordered  it. 

(Signed) 

A.  LINCOLN, 

President  of  th»  United  States. 

Thermometer  90°  in  the  shade.     We  were  reviewed 
Friday,         this  afternoon  by  President  Lincoln,  Secretary  Stanton, 
May  23-        and  Secretary   Seward,  accompanied    by    General   Mc 
Dowell. 

Overcoats  were  packed  and  sent  away.  Clothing,  shoes,  ammuni 
tion,  etc.  issued  to  those  of  us  in  need  of  such  articles. 

The  officers  were  growling  about  the  reduction  of  their  luggage, 
proving  the  truth  of  what  the  Lord  said  unto  Saul,  "It  is  hard  for 
thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks." 

In  heavy  marching  order  we  marched  out  on  the  road 
Saturday,  to  Belle  Plain  Landing,  seven  miles,  in  the  mud,  and 
May  24.  halted  in  the  rain  for  an  hour,  and  then  returned  to  camp 
in  a  cold,  drenching  rain,  to  find  our  "Sibley"  tents  had 
been  removed  and  piles  of  "  shelter  "  tents  distributed  about,  to  take 
their  places. 

We  were  wet  through  already,  and  muddy  to  the  knees,  so  that 
when  this  transformation  greeted  us,  the  air  in  spite  of  the  rain 
assumed  a  cerulean  hue.  He  who  couldn't  swear 

"  Gave  to  mis'ry  (all  he  had)  a  tear." 

A  worse  day  for  such  a  sudden  change  could  not  have  been 
selected.  To  appreciate  it  one  should  bear  in  mind  the  description 
of  a  "  Sibley  "  already  given.  In  place  thereof  we  received  a  piece 
of  thin  sheeting  about  four  feet  by  six  feet,  in  the  binding  of  which 
were  buttons  and  buttonholes.  Each  man  was  given  one  piece, 
with  instructions  to  find  two  other  men  supplied  with  a  similar  piece, 
and  combine  the  three  into  a  tent.  In  order  to  pitch  your  tent  you 
must  first  go  into  the  woods  and  cut  crotches  with  a  stick  to  rest 
across  the  top,  forming  a  ridge-pole,  on  which  two  of  the  pieces, 


70  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    A  EXIT. 

1862.  buttoned  together,  were  to  rest,  then  to  be  stretched  out 

in  the  shape  of  the  letter  A  and  fastened  to  the  ground. 
The  third  piece  was  to  cover  one  end.  By  making  a  combination 
of  six  pieces  both  ends  could  be  closed.  When  properly  pitched 
the  ridge-pole  was  about  four  feet  high.  To  enter  one  of  these 
"  dog-kennels,"  as  they  were  called,  you  had  to  get  down  on  your 
knees,  with  your  head  near  the  earth,  as  though  you  were  approach 
ing  the  throne  of  an  Arabian  monarch,  and  crawl  in.  Each  man 
was  expected  to  carry  his  piece  of  tent  in  his  knapsack.  After  we 
had  become  accustomed  to  the  change,  which  we  did  by  the  exercise 
of  a  little  patience  and  ingenuity,  we  found  them  not  so  very  un 
comfortable,  but  in  the  meantime  we  scored  another  mark  against 
McDowell.  The  officers,  whose  tents  had  been  taken  away,  were 
compelled  to  seek  shelter  among  the  rank  and  file.  The  officers' 
tents  were  subsequently  returned. 

It  was  at  this  place  we  were  dispossessed  of  our  camp  kettles,  a  loss 
which  carried  with  it  another  privation  —  rice.  Rice  was  occasionally 
substituted  for  some  other  article  of  food,  and  was  cooked  in  iron 
kettles  previously  used  for  making  coffee.  Good  housekeepers  have 
expended  a  deal  of  care  and  trouble  in  the  preparation  of  this 
nutritious  article  of  diet  for  the  table,  but  in  the  army  it  was  allowed 
to  be  burnt  black  for  about  three  inches  from  the  bottom  of  the 
kettle,  thereby  imparting  to  it  a  peculiar  flavor.  Since  the  war  we 
have  had  no  fondness  for  boiled  rice ;  we  miss  that  burnt  taste  and 
the  delicate  flavor  of  coffee  with  which  it  was  permeated.  No ; 
when  rice  is  now  handed  round  the  table  we  say,  as  Mark  Twain  did, 
"  We  pass." 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  encumber  this  narrative  with  details,  or 
descriptions  of  battles,  except  so  far  as  they  may  add  an  interest  or 
explain  the  reasons  for  our  movements. 

At  this  time  a  plan  had  been  adopted  by  which  McDowell  was  to 
cooperate  with  McClellan.  It  was  understood  that  McDowell  was 
to  move  his  corps  along  the  Fredericksburg  and  Richmond  Railroad 
on  the  24th  of  May,  connecting,  if  possible,  with  the  right  wing  of 
McClellan's  army  at  or  near  Hanover  Court- House,  and  by  turning 
the  left  flank  of  the  enemy,  prevent  his  receiving  reinforcements 


TIUKTEENTII    MASS.     VOLS.  71 

1862.  from  the  direction  of  Gordonsville.  This  plan  had  been 

carefully  considered  and  matured  by  McDowell,  who  had 
great  faith  in  its  success,  as  appears  in  his  correspondence  with  the 
President  at  this  time. 

At  this  date  General  McDowell's  army  was  composed  of  about 
40,000  men,  in  as  perfect  a  condition,  respecting  discipline  and 
equipment,  as  any  army  acquired  during  the  entire  war.  A  finer 
body  of  troops,  in  health,  vigor  and  appearance  was  never  seen,  and 
General  McDowell  was  justly  proud  of  his  command. 

Just  at  the  moment  when  his  army  was  concentrated,  and  about 
to  take  up  its  line  of  march  to  Richmond,  as  he  notified  McClellan 
he  would  do  on  the  24th,  news  was  received  at  Washington  of  an 
attack  on  Banks  by  Stonewall  Jackson,  subsequently  reenforced  by 
Ewell,  detached  from  Lee's  army.  The  suddenness  of  this  intelli 
gence  created  the  wildest  alarm  among  the  authorities  for  the  safety 
of  that  city,  and  the  following  order  was  telegraphed  by  the  Presi 
dent  to  General  McDowell,  dated  May  24,  5  P.M. : 

General  Fremont  has  been  ordered  by  telegraph  to  move  from  Franklin  on 
Harrisonburg  to  relieve  General  Banks,  and  capture  or  destroy  Jackson's  and 
Ewell's  forces. 

You  are  instructed,  laying  aside  for  the  present  the  movement  on  Richmond,  to 
put  20,000  men  in  motion  at  once  for  the  Shenandoah,  moving  on  the  line,  or  in 
advance  of  the  line,  pf  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad.  Your  object  will  be  to  capture 
the  forces  of  Jackson  and  Ewell,  either  in  cooperation  with  General  Fremont,  or 
in  case  want  of  supplies  or  of  transportation  interferes  with  his  movements.  It  is 
believed  that  the  force  with  which  you  move  will  be  sufficient  to  accomplish  this 
object  alone.  The  information  thus  far  received  here  makes  it  probable  that  if 
the  enemy  operate  actively  against  General  Banks,  you  will  not  be  able  to  count 
upon  much  assistance  from  him,  but  may  even  have  to  release  him. 

Reports  received  this  moment  are  that  Banks  is  fighting  with  Ewell,  eight  miles 
from  Winchester. 

(Signed)  A.   LINCOLN. 

Though  he  obeyed  the  order  with  commendable  alacrity,  his  dis 
appointment  at  the  sudden  upsetting  of  a  plan  upon  which  his  mind 
was  fixed,  was  very  great,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  communi 
cation  to  the  President : 


72  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  RAPPAHANNOCK, 

OPPOSITE  FREDERICKSBURG,  May  24,  1862. 

(Received  9.30  P.M.) 
His  Exellency  the  President  : 

I  obeyed  your  order  immediately,  for  it  was  positive  and  urgent,  and  perhaps 
as  a  subordinate,  there  I  ought  to  stop;  but  I  trust  I  may  be  allowed  to  say  some 
thing  in  relation  to  the  subject,  especially  in  view  of  your  remark,  that  everything 
now  depends  upon  the  celerity  and  vigor  of  my  movements.  I  beg  to  say  that 
cooperation  between  General  Fremont  and  myself  to  cut  Jackson  and  Ewell  there 
is  not  to  be  counted  upon,  even  if  it  is  not  a  practical  impossibility.  Next,  I  am 
entirely  beyond  helping  distance  of  General  Banks;  no  celerity  or  vigor  will  avail 
so  far  as  he  is  concerned.  Next,  that  by  a  glance  at  the  map,  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  line  of  retreat  of  the  enemy's  forces  up  the  valley  is  shorter  than  mine  to  go 
against  him.  It  will  take  a  week  or  ten  days  for  the  force  to  get  to  the  valley  by 
the  route  which  will  give  it  food  and  forage,  and  by  that  time  the  enemy  will  have 
retired.  I  shall  gain  nothing  for  you  there,  and  shall  lose  much  for  you  here.  It 
is,  therefore,  not  only  on  personal  grounds  that  I  have  a  heavy  heart  in  the  matter, 
but  that  I  feel  it  throws  us  all  back,  and  from  Richmond  north  we  shall  have  all 
our  large  masses  paralyzed,  and  shall  have  to  repeat  what  we  have  just  accom 
plished.  I  have  ordered  General  Shields  to  commence  the  movement  by  to-mor 
row  morning.  A  second  division  will  follow  in  the  afternoon.  Did  I  understand 
you  aright,  that  you  wished  that  I  personally  should  accompany  this  expedition? 
I  hope  to  see  Governor  Chase  to-night  and  express  myself  more  fully  to  him. 

Very  respectfully, 

IRVIN  MCDOWELL. 

About  4  P. Mi  we  marched  to  Aquia  Creek,  fifteen 
Sunday,  miles,  arriving  about  i  A.M.  The  road,  part  of  the  way, 
May  25.  was  across  a  swamp,  so  that  candles  were  lighted  to  pre 
vent  our  tumbling  into  ditches.  On  the  26th  we  con 
tinued  our  march  four  miles,  to  the  landing  where  the  Thirteenth 
took  the  steamer  "John  Brooks"  for  Alexandria,  and  where  we  ar 
rived  in  due  time,  after  a  sail  of  sixty-five  miles  up  the  Potomac 
River.  Other  similar  means  of  transportation  were  provided  for  the 
remainder  of  the  division.  The  severe  drilling  we  had  been  undergo 
ing,  the  change  of  tents  and  reduction  of  baggage,  all  indicated  that 
some  important  movement  was  on  the  tapis,  which  camp  gossips  had 
determined  was  "  On  to  Richmond."  We  were  very  much  surprised, 
as  we  sailed  up  the  Potomac,  to  learn  that  it  was  "  On  to  Washing 
ton,"  for,  as  yet,  we  had  not  received  information  about  Banks'  re- 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  73 

1862.  treat.     Whatever  fate  had  in  store  for  us,  it  didn't  inter 

fere  with  our  enjoyment  of  the  sail,  though  our  curiosity 
was  greatly  excited  to  know  what  this  movement  meant. 

In  a  letter  to  McClellan  dated  May  25,  the  President 
Tuesday,       gives  a  full  statement  of  the  situation,  closing  with  the 
ay  27-         following  paragraphs,  which  he  puts  in  italics : 

If  McDowell's  force  was  now  beyond  our  reach,  we  should  be  entirely  help 
less.     Apprehension  of  something  like  (his,  and  not  unwillingness  to  sustain  you, 
has  always  been  my  reason  for  withholding  Me  Dowel?  s  forces  from  you. 
Please  understand  this,  and  do  the  best  you  can  with  the  forces  you  have. 

We  were  routed  out  at  3  A.M.,  and  marched  to  the  station  in 
Alexandria,  where,  after  waiting  patiently  for  two  hours,  we  boarded 
freight  cars  for  Manassas  Junction.  Some  of  the  boys  succeeded  in 
procuring  local  newspapers,  by  which  we  became  partially  informed 
of  the  excitement.  The  necessity  of  feeling  our  way,  as  we  rode 
along,  delayed  our  arrival  until  the  afternoon.  We  were  soon  in 
possession  of  Northern  papers  that  gave  us  full  particulars  of  Banks' 
movements,  and  lively  discussions  round  camp-fires  ensued,  ending 
in  a  generally  expressed  hope  that  we  might  take  a  hand  in  bagging 
Jackson. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  that  series  of  movements  which  culmi 
nated  in  the  battle  of  Manassas,  or,  as  it  has  sometimes  been  called, 
"  Second  Bull  Run." 


74  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER  V. 

1862.  ORDERS  received  that  shovels,  pickaxes,  etc.,  were  to  be 

Wednesday, carr-efi  ^v  ^e  men  instead  of  the  wagons,  as  heretofore. 

This  caused  a  good  deal  of  grumbling.     In  addition  we 

were  to  carry  sixty  rounds  of  cartridges,  fifty  in  the  boxes 

and  ten  in  our   haversacks.     Our  prejudices  having  been  excited 

against  McDowell,  we  promptly  placed  this  disagreeable  order  with 

the  others,  to  his  credit. 

The  following  communication  will  indicate  the  interest  felt  in  our 
movement  by  the  enemy  : 

HEADQUARTERS  HARRISON'S,  VA.S 

May  28,  1862,  9  A.M. 
GENERAL  LEE : 

GENERAL,  —  If  McDowell  is  approaching,  of  which  there  can  be  no  doubt,  we 
must  fight  very  soon.  Every  man  we  have  should  be  here.  Major-General 
Holmes'  troops  should  therefore  be  ordered  to  Richmond  forthwith;  they  may  be 
wanted  to-morrow.  I  have  more  than  once  suggested  a  concentration  here  of  all 
available  forces. 

Most  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  J.  E.  JOHNSTON. 

Nine  hours  later  the  following  despatch  was  received  by  General 
McDowell : 

WASHINGTON,  May  28,  1862,  5.40  P.M. 
GENERAL  MCDOWELL,  Manassas  Junction  : 

I  think  the  evidence  now  preponderates  that  Ewell  and  Jackson  are  still  about 
Winchester.  Assuming  this,  it  is  for  you  a  question  of  legs.  Put  in  all  the  speed 
you  can.  I  have  told  Fremont  as  much,  and  directed  him  to  drive  at  them  as  fast 
as  possible.  By  the  way,  I  suppose  you  know  Fremont  has  got  up  to  Moorefield, 
instead  of  going  to  Harrisonburg? 

(Signed)  A.  LINCOLN. 


%0^' 

MAP   N<? 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  To 

1862.  At    6    A.M.  marched  to  Hay  Market,  twelve    miles, 

Thursday,    arriving  about  10  A.M.,  when  we  took  cars  and  rode  to 
Thoroughfare  Gap,  where  we  left  the  cars  and  marched 
through  a  rough  crooked  defile  to  the  west  side  of  the 
mountains  and   camped  in  an  orchard.     While    marching  to-day, 
General  Ord  borrowed  a  pipe  from  one  of  the  boys  whom  he  saw 
smoking ;  being  suddenly  called  away  by  an  aid,  he  took  it  with  him. 
There  was  not  a  man  in  the  Thirteenth  who  wouldn't  have  been  glad 
to  contribute  a  pipe,  or  anything  else  he  had,  to  the  comfort  or 
pleasure  of  General  Ord. 

Started  at  5  A.M.  and  marched  through  White  Plains 
Friday,  and  Salem,  halting  three  miles  from  the  latter  place, 
May  30.  making  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  for  the  day's  march. 
We  were  overtaken  in  the  afternoon  by  a  severe  thunder- 
shower  which  lasted  all  night,  in  consequence  of  which  we  were 
completely  drenched.  Some  of  the  tents  were  washed  away  by  the 
rain. 

The  following  despatch  was  sent  by  General  McDowell  to  the  Pres 
ident  : 

I  am  pushing  forward  everything  to  the  utmost,  as  I  telegraphed  the  Secretary 
of  War  last  night.  Major-General  Shields  did  not  think  we  could  make  Front 
Royal  before  to-night.  I  sent  him  your  telegram  and  asked  him  what  could  be 
done  by  extraordinary  exertions  to  accomplish  your  wishes  that  the  advance  of  my 
force  should  be  at  Front  Royal  by  12  o'clock  noon  to-day.  I  informed  him 
of  the  position  of  affairs,  and  how  necessary  it  was  to  get  forward.  lie  fully  ap 
preciated  the  case,  and  said  he  would  go  without  supplies,  except  what  the  men 
could  carry  themselves,  and  would  place  two  brigades  at  Front  Royal  by  noon  and 
two  other  brigades  within  five  miles  of  Front  Royal  by  the  same  time.  It  will  re 
quire  driving  to  accomplish  this,  and  the  day  is  hot. 

I  am  urging  General  Ord  forward  with  all  the  physical  force  of  the  railroad  and 
moral  power  of  a  strong  representation  of  the  urgency  of  the  case.  He  will  be 
beyond  Rectortown  to-night. 

At  5  P.M.  General  McDowell  sent  a  telegram  from  Piedmont  to 
the  Secretary  of  War  of  which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

I  was  disappointed  on  arriving  at  this  place  at  12  M.  to  find  General  Ord's 
division  here,  only  five  miles  from  its  camp  of  last  night  (although  I  had  ordered 
them  to  leave  their  knapsacks),  and  in  much  confusion.  I  reproached  General 


76  THREE     YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Ord  for  the  condition  of  his  command  and  for  its  not  being  farther 

ahead.  He  pleaded  sickness,  and  that  he  had  not  been  well  for 
several  days,  and  was  now  unable  to  hold  command,  which  he  turned  over  to 
Brigadier-General  Ricketts.  I  have  told  General  Ricketts  to  have  his  division  at 
Front  Royal  by  to-night. 

Started  at  5  A.M.  and  marched  to  Piedmont,  five 
Friday,  miles,  where  we  drew  rations  of  hardtack  and  coffee. 
May  31.  ^ye  tnen  jeft  our  knapsacks,  taking  only  our  blankets  and 
equipments,  reforded  the  river  and  took  up  the  line 
of  march  to  Front  Royal.  It  rained  hard  nearly  all  day,  so  the 
wetting  we  got  in  fording  the  rivers  and  brooks  didn't  count  for  much. 
As  we  marched  through  Manassas  Gap  the  water  was  knee-deep  in 
the  highway  in  some  places,  and  the  storm  so  rough  that  we  took  to 
the  railroad.  Finding  the  track  encumbered  with  cars,  we  enjoyed 
the  boyish  sport  of  dumping  them  over  the  precipice,  a  distance  of 
eighty  or  a  hundred  feet,  to  the  valley  below,  where  they  were  com 
pletely  destroyed.  We  arrived  within  a  mile  or  so  of  Front  Royal  at 
i  A.M.,  after  a  march  of  twenty-five  miles,  in  good  order,  though 
uncomfortably  wet  and  tired.  It  rained  very  hard,  it  was  very  dark, 
and  the  boys  were  not  very  affable  when  we  finally  halted  for  the 
night.  Rail  fences  soon  supplied  us  with  fuel,  and  very  soon  we  were 
standing  round  cheerful  fires,  drinking  hot  coffee,  and  thinking  how 
blessed  is  he  who  expects  nothing,  for  he  will  not  be  disappointed. 

About  noon  we  marched  two  miles  on  the  road  to 
Sunday,  Strasburg,  where  we  were  turned  into  a  field  for  a  halt, 
and  where,  with  the  rest  of  the  corps,  we  were  drawn  up 
in  line  of  battle.  While  we  were  here  Generals  Shields 
and  Ord  rode  by.  Being  under  the  impression  that  it  was  to  General 
Shields  we  were  indebted  for  the  rations  we  drew  at  Piedmont 
(though  the  fact  is  that  it  was  McDowell's  thoughtfulness,  who,  an 
ticipating  our  arrival  at  that  point,  had  made  the  provision),  the  bri 
gade  cheered  him  as  he  rode  along.  General  Ord  received  a  share 
of  the  enthusiasm,  but  when  General  McDowell  rode  by  there  was 
none  to  do  him  reverence.  He  must  have  felt  this  very  keenly. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  gossip  about  a  quarrel  between  McDowell 
and  Ord.  General  Shields,  at  the  head  of  his  division,  with  his 
wounded  arm  in  a  sling,  made  quite  a  picturesque  object,  and  the 


TIlIllTEENTll    MASS.     VOLS.  77 

1862.  fact  that  he  was  on  the  way  to  cut  off  Jackson,  a  part  of 

whose  force  we  could  see  in  the  distance  trailing  along 
the  mountain-side,  made  him  considerable  of  a  hero,  and  no  doubt 
added  a  fervor  to  our  emotions. 

We  were  very  much  disappointed  that  we  were  not  to  join  Shields 
in  the  pursuit  of  Jackson. 

The  following  was  telegraphed  by  General  McDowell  at  3  P.M. 
to  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

Heard  firing  this  A.M.  in  the  direction  of  Strasburg.  Ord's  division  could  not 
be  got  up  last  night,  but  came  up  this  A.M.,  and  is  considerably  aroused  by  the 
excitement  of  an  approaching  battle,  and  is  now  moving  forward,  replacing 
Shields'  division,  who  is  on  the  march  to  Strasburg  with  that  part  of  his  division 
nearest  this  place.  I  am  directing  General  Ord's  division  (now  with  Ricketts)  to 
move  on  the  Winchester  road,  supporting  Bayard's  cavalry  brigade,  and  sending 
strong  detachments  on  the  Luray  road.  There  has  been  no  firing  for  some 
time. 

It  soon  began  to  rain,  which  continued  during  the  night.  We 
found  it  much  easier  these  days  to  put  our  trust  in  God  than  to 
keep  our  powder  dry. 

At  noon  we  marched  about  five  miles  on  the  road  to 

Monday,        Strasburg,  and  bivouacked   in    a  pine  grove.     We  had 

June  2.          scarcely  reached  the  woods  when  it  began  to  rain  as 

though  it  hadn't  rained  for  many  months,  and  was  now 

making  up  for  lost  time. 

Some  of  the  boys  were  sent  out  on  picket  duty ;  to  think  of  any 
body,  even  an  enemy,  being  out  such  anight,  seemed  ridiculous.  The 
boys  were  posted  in  a  wheat-field,  without  umbrellas,  the  wheat  the 
height  of  a.  man's  head,  while  the  darkness  was  as  densely  black  as 
Egypt  is  said  to  be,  except  when  the  lightning  revealed  how  impos 
sible  it  was  to  distinguish  the  points  of  the  compass,  after  five  min 
utes  in  such  a  place.  Indeed,  several  of  the  boys,  when  daylight  did 
come,  found  themselves  facing  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  instead  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  so  bewildering  was  the  darkness  and  the  wheat. 
W'hen  daylight  came  and  the  sun  chased  away  the  black  clouds,  it 
brought  with  it  a  feeling  of  gladness,  in  spite  of  the  unpleasantness 
of  their  position. 


78  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  A  half-mile  beyond  the  picket  line  was  a  large  white 

house  surrounded  with  out-buildings  of  a  similar  color, 
giving  notice  that  the  owner  was  a  prosperous  person. 

"  Who  can  cloy  the  hungry  edge  of  appetite  by  bare  imagination  of  a  feast?  " 

A  half-starved  soldier  couldn't  gaze  on  such  a  scene  without  longing 
to  investigate  the  possibilities  of  a  breakfast.  To  go  out  beyond  the 
picket  line  was  a  dangerous  experiment  in  those  parts,  but  quite  a 
number  of  the  boys  set  aside  apprehensions  of  danger.  One  of  the 
party  was  made  spokesman  to  negotiate  for  a  breakfast  at  a  price  not 
exceeding  twenty-five  cents  each.  There  was  much  surprise  evinced 
at  our  appearance,  and  some  hesitation  about  gratifying  our  wishes, 
by  the  lady  of  the  house.  It  was  evident  our  presence  was  not 
wanted,  but  we  put  on  our  best  manners,  assuring  her  we  had  no 
intention  of  disturbing  her  peace  except  so  far  as  putting  some  one  to 
the  trouble  of  preparing  a  breakfast.  After  some  further  hesitation 
she  consented,  and  very  soon  the  boys  had  the  pleasure  of  eating  a 
breakfast  of  fried  ham,  boiled  potatoes,  good  bread  and  butter  and 
coffee.  As  they  raised  the  coffee  to  their  lips  their  hostess  expressed 
a  wish  that  it  might  poison  every  one  of  them.  There  was  some 
hesitation  about  drinking  it,  but  as  the  boys  looked  at  her  and  saw  a 
faint  smile  on  her  face,  they  concluded  she  was  not  of  the  poisoning 
type,  and  so  took  their  chances.  She  refused  their  offered  recom 
pense,  like  the  true  Southerner  she  was,  and  so  they  distributed  the 
money  among  the  servants,  and  marched  back  to  camp  with  re 
newed  strength. 

Rations  getting  short.  The  whole  corps  was  suffering  for  want  of 
food,  which  was  being  delayed  because  of  the  inefficiency  of  the 
railroads  and  the  bad  condition  of  the  highways.  The  condition  of 
affairs  is  so  well  depicted  in  the  following  communication  of  General 
Shields  of  this  date  to  the  Secretary  of  War  that  we  are  tempted  to 

make  a  liberal  extract  from  it : 

• 

Jackson  passed  through  Strasburg  Saturday  and  Sunday.  Fremont  has  not 
been  heard  from  yet.  There  was  firing  at  Strasburg  yesterday  —  supposed  to  be 
Banks  in  the  rear.  My  poor  command  were  without  provisions  twenty-four 
hours.  We  would  have  occupied  Strasburg,  but  dare  not  interfere  with  what  was 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  79 

1862.  designed  for  Fremont.     His  failure  has  saved  Jackson.     I  will  force 

my  way  down  to  Stannardsville  to  cut  him  off,  but  the  railroad  is 
miserable,  and  miserably  managed.  Cars  are  running  off  the  track  and  coming 
in  collision.  I  never  saw  anything  like  the  want  of  efficiency  and  skill  in  organiza 
tion.  Our  telegraph  line  ought  to  be  in  operation,  but  it  has  no  working  party.  I 
let  them  have  my  pioneers,  whom  I  need  now.  General  McDowell  has  done 
everything  to  mend  matters,  but  not  much  can  be  done  with  such  means.  We 
have  too  many  men  here,  and  no  supplies.  How  I  will  get  along  I  do  not  know, 
but  I  will  trust  to  luck — seize  cattle,  live  on  beef — to  catch  Jackson.  I  could 
stampede  them  to  Richmond  had  I  even  supplies  of  hard  bread  and  a  little  forage. 
I  have  no  fears  of  their  numbers,  which  have  been  ridiculously  exaggerated  by  fear. 

Early  in  the  forenoon  we  advanced  across  the  north 
Tuesday,  fork  of  the  Shenandoah  River,  about  two  miles,  where  we 
June  3.  halted,  drew  fresh  beef  and  flour,  after  which  we  moved 

into  a  piece  of  woods  near  by  and  bivouacked  for  the 
night.  It  began  to  rain  hard  in  the  night  and  before  morning  the 
camp  was  inundated  with  water,  and  a  sorry  mess  we  were  in  as  the 
water  poured  around  us.  The  only  thing  we  could  do  was  to  grab 
our  things  and  run  for  the  railroad  track,  which  afforded  us  a  tem 
porary  resting-place  from  the  water. 

As  soon  as  possible  we  were  formed  in  line  and 
Wednesday,  marched  rapidly  back  across  the  river.  We  had  a  nar- 
June  4.  row  escape  from  being  left  on  an  island  formed  by  this 

freshet,  which  would  have  cut  us  off  completely  from  the 
rest  of  the  corps,  without  food,  or  the  hope  of  getting  food  until  the 
waters  subsided,  as  we  had  barely  crossed  the  river  when  the  bridge 
was  carried  away,  leaving  a  dozen  of  the  Thirteenth  on  the  other 
side.  We  marched  back  toward  Front  Royal  and  bivouacked  in  a 
piece  of  woods  on  a  hill,  a  mile  back  and  overlooking  the  town. 

Our  knapsacks,  which  we  left  at  Piedmont,  on  the 
Thursday,  ^ist  of  May,  reached  us  to-day,  soaked  with  rain  and 
June  5.  mud.  We  were  glad  to  get  our  "shelters"  again. 

After  our  experience  of  the  last  five  days  we  no  longer 
despised  them.  The  boys  were  getting  ragged  and  seedy  from  over 
work  and  exposure.  We  had  reached  that  period  of  our  service 
when  pork  was  eaten  raw  with  pleasure.  This  was  quite  an  advance 
in  our  education  as  soldiers.  Slowly  we  were  being  hammered  into 


80  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  veterans.     This   was  the  kind  of  service  that  prepared 

us  for  the  campaigns  of  1863-4.  It  told  on  the  men 
pretty  severely,  as  our  number  was  now  reduced  from  1,038  to  600 
men  for  duty,  and  94  men  in  the  hospital. 

A  beautiful  day.     So  disciplined  had  we  become  by 
Friday,          marching,  bad  weather  and  fasting,  that  we  were  happy 
June  6.          if  it  Didn't  rain,  but  when  the  sun  appeared,  our  feelings 
became  ecstatic. 

The  sutler  arrived  with  stores,  and  no  longer  we  hankered  for  the 
"  flesh  pots  of  Egypt." 

The  country  was  full  of  guerillas,  making  outpost  duty  dangerous 
and  undesirable. 

The  escape  of  Jackson  was  a  topic  of  conversation  and,  as  usual, 
we  wrongly  credited  McDowell  with  the  responsibility. 

Many  of  the  women  in  the  town  increased  their  incomes  by  the  sale 
of  pies  to  the  soldiers.  They  could  not  endure  the  sight  of  a  Yankee 
except  when  he  was  buying  some  of  their  badly-cooked  food.  Some 
of  the  young  women  who  had  nothing  to  sell  were  very  "  sassy,"  and 
turned  up  their  pretty  noses.  The  older  ones,  being  in  the  commercial 
line,  and  married,  had  more  sense,  bent  on  "  making  hay  while  the 
sun  shines." 

One  of  the  boys  who  was  left  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river 
when  the  regiment  crossed  on  the  4th  inst.,  was  drowned  to-day 
while  attempting  to  cross  in  a  skiff  in  company  with  a  rebel.  When 
about  midway  of  the  stream  the  boat  capsized  and  both  men  were 
dumped  into  the  angry  flood.  The  current  was  so  strong  that  our 
man,  who  was  probably  unable  to  swim,  was  carried  out  of  sight  in 
no  time.  He  was  a  man  over  six  feet  in  height,  well-proportioned, 
and  an  excellent  soldier.  He  was  born  in  Maine,  but  had  come  to 
Boston,  where  he  was  employed  when  the  war  broke  out.  He  was 
the  man  whose  letters  from  home  had  written  across  the  entire  top  of 
the  envelope  in  a  bold,  round  hand,  "  WITH  GOD'S  BLESSING."  It 
was  the  custom  of  the  chaplain,  who  acted  as  postmaster  during  his 
stay  with  the  regiment,  to  stand  on  a  box,  or  stool,  in  front  of  his  tent, 
and  call  off  the  names  on  the  letters.  Whenever  he  came  across  one 
directed  to  our  friend  he  would  hold  it  up  above  his  head,  and  in  a 


TIHKTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  81 

1862.  voice  of  deep  feeling,  would  say,  "  WITH  GOD'S  BLESSING  !  " 

and  the  owner  would  at  once  step  up  and  take  it,  so  that 
very  soon  he  became  known  in  the  regiment  as  "  God's  blessing." 

Order  received  to  march  to  Warrenton. 

Saturday,  In  an  order  sent  to  General  Shields,  General  Mc- 
June  7.  Dowell  complains  of  the  size  of  wagon  trains,  directing 
that  nothing  be  taken  in  them  but  ammunition,  subsist 
ence,  forage  and  cooking  utensils,  and  states  that  "  Jackson  marches 
thirty  miles  a  day,  and  that  we  can  never  catch  an  enemy  with  a  train 
filled  with  trumpery." 

The  order  which  we  received  yesterday  to  march  on 
Sunday,  Warrenton  was  to-day  countermanded,  and  we  were 
June  8.  tjius  prevented  from  breaking  the  Sabbath. 

General  Ord  was  relieved,  and  the  division  placed 
under  the  command  of  General  Ricketts. 

An  order  from  the  adjutant-general  was  received  by  General 
McDowell  to-day,  from  which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

The  Secretary  of  War  directs,  that  having  first  provided  adequately  for  the 
defence  of  Washington  and  for  holding  the  position  at  Fredericksburg,  you 
operate  with  the  residue  of  your  force,  as  speedily  as  possible,  in  the  direction  of 
Richmond,  to  cooperate  with  Major-General  McClellan,  in  accordance  with  the 
instructions  heretofore  given  you. 

The  following  communication  to  General  McClellan  was  sent  by 
General  McDowell  on  this  date,  and  has  a  peculiar  interest  to  us  : 

For  the  third  time  I  am  ordered  to  join  you,  and  this  time  I  hope  to  get 
through. 

In  view  of  the  remarks  made  with  reference  to  my  leaving  you  and  my  not 
joining*you  before,  by  your  friends,  and  of  something  I  have  heard  as  coming 
from  you  on  that  subject,  I  wish  to  say  that  I  go  with  the  greatest  satisfaction,  and 
hope  to  arrive  with  my  main  body  in  time  to  be  of  service. 

Monday,  An  order  was  received  delaying  our  movement  from 

June  9.          Front  Royal,  which  in  no  way  displeased  us. 

Paid  off.     Though  it  rained  hard  all  day  and  the  camp 

Tuesday,      Was  very  muddy,  the  world  seemed  bright  and  pleasant 

June  10.       to  ug^  ag  jt  apparently  did  to  the  thrifty  wives  of  Front 

Royal,  who,  regardless  of  the  rain,  brought  their  pies  to 

camp  to  exchange  for  the  filthy  lucre  of  the  "  miserable  Yankees." 


82  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Company  I  was  yesterday  sent  to    town  as  provost- 

Thursday,     guar(j. 

The    following   letter   was   sent    to-day    by    General 
McClellan  to  the  Secretary  of  War : 

In  your  telegrams  respecting  reinforcements  you  inform  me  that  General 
McDowell,  with  the  residue  of  his  command,  will  proceed  overland  to  join  me 
before  Richmond.  I  beg  leave  to  suggest  that  the  destruction  of  the  railroad 
bridges  by  flood  and  fire  cannot  probably  be  remedied  under  four  weeks;  that  an 
attempt  to  employ  wagon  transportation  must  involve  great  delay,  and  may  be 
found  very  difficult  of  accomplishment.  An  extension  of  my  right  wing  to  meet 
him  may  involve  serious  hazard  to  my  flank  and  my  line  of  communications,  and 
may  not  suffice  to  rescue  from  any  peril  in  which  a  strong  movement  of  the 
enemy  may  involve  him.  I  would  advise  that  his  forces  be  sent  by  water. 
Even  a  portion  thus  sent  would,  by  reason  of  greater  expedition  and  security  and 
less  complications  of  my  movements,  probably  be  more  serviceable  in  the  opera 
tions  before  Richmond.  The  roads  throughout  the  region  between  the  Rappa- 
hannock  and  the  James  cannot  be  relied  upon  and  may  become  execrable  even 
should  they  be  in  their  best  condition.  The  junction  of  his  force  with  the  exten 
sion  of  my  right  flank  cannot  be  made  without  derangement  of  my  plans,  and  if 
my  recent  experience  in  moving  troops  be  indicative  of  the  difficulties  incident  to 
McDowell's  march,  the  exigencies  of  my  present  position  will  not  admit  of  the 
delay. 

Six  hundred  men  on  duty.     Forced  marches,  exposure, 

Friday,          short  rations,  and  malaria  were  the  influences  that  re- 
Tune  13.         ,        ,  , 

duced  our  number. 

Thermometer  95°.    We  were  told  by  the  colonel  to-day 

that  our  transfer  to  General  Banks'  corps  would  soon  take 

Saturday,      place.     This  information  had  a  very  pleasing  effect  on 

the    boys.      We   were    also    told    that    Maj.-Gen.   Ord, 

commander  of  our   division,    was    to  be    transferred  to 

Corinth,  Miss.     We  had  become  very   fond   of  General    Ord,   and 

were  sorry  he  was  to  leave  us. 

During  the  early  part  of  our  service,  quite  a  number  of  the  boys 
carried  a  volume  of  "  Hardie's  Tactics,"  which  they  studied  in  spare 
hours.  There  was  no  subject  so  thoroughly  discussed  as  our  evolu 
tions  at  drill.  This  was,  in  a  great  measure,  due  to  the  colonel,  who 
daily  surprised  us  by  some  new  movement ;  hence  a  volume  of 
the  Tactics  was  indispensable  in  settling  disputes.  Another  book 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  83 

1862.  frequently  borrowed  from    one  of   the  officers  was  the 

"Army  Regulations."  It  was  often  read  aloud,  and 
humorous  interpretations  applied  to  some  of  its  sections.  For  in 
stance  :  Section  694  reads,  "  Soldiers  are  not  to  stop  for  water ; 
the  canteen  should  be  filled  before  starting."  Many  of  the  boys  in 
sisted  that  if  these  sections  were  interpreted  literally,  the  inference 
would  be  that  you  might  stop  for  anything  but  water.  Others  said 
it  was  plain  enough  that  you  might  stop  for  whiskey,  though  experi 
ence  showed  that  the  man  who  depended  on  alcohol  for  his  energy, 
was  generally  left  by  the  roadside,  completely  knocked  to  pieces. 

No  one  can  forget  his  struggles  in  attempting  to  procure  water 
from  a  well  surrounded  by  a  hundred  thirsty  soldiers.  Tramping 
along  a  hot,  dusty  road,  the  water  in  our  canteens  would  soon  become 
lukewarm,  supplying  no  refreshment,  nor  even  quenching  the  thirst. 
At  last,  you  spy  a  well,  but,  alas  !  others  have  spied  it,  as  you  see 
by  the  number  congregated  about  it.  You  are  not  easily  discouraged 
by  numbers,  and  so  you  add  one  to  the  struggling  crowd,  pushing 
and  edging  your  way  in  until  you  get  a  sight  of  the  well,  and  the 
bucket  of  clear,  cool  water.  With  dipper  in  hand  you  make  a 
thrust,  only  to  be  shoved  aside  by  others  with  more  strength  or 
agility.  As  each  succeeds  and  retires,  his  place  is  immediately  filled 
by  another,  equally  thirsty.  If  you  have  patience  you  may  succeed, 
but  it  often  happens  that  you  are  obliged  to  give  up  the  contest, 
and  hurrying  on  to  catch  the  regiment,  which  has  already  passed  out 
of  sight,  you  cannot  help  thinking  what  an  ill-mannered  cub  a  soldier 
is,  when  tired  and  thirsty,  striving  for  water.  The  weaker  men  soon 
learned  the  uselessness  of  struggling  against  odds  so  great.  A  soldier 
soon  learns  that  to  observe  the  golden  rule  is  to  find  himself  both 
hungry,  and  thirsty.  There  were  men  in  the  army,  however,  whose 
lives  moved  without  friction.  They  let  others  do  the  crowding  and 
pushing,  and  when  calmness  was  restored,  begged  what  had  been 
fought  for.  The  same  practice  held  good  with  respect  to  every 
other  article,  whether  of  rations  or  comfort.  With  honeyed  words 
they  beguiled  from  others  the  things  they  were  too  lazy  to  carry 
themselves.  In  the  case  of  water,  it  was  particularly  aggravating,  be 
cause  the  carrying  of  it  meant  an  additional  weight,  as  well  as  the 
bother  of  procuring  it. 


84  THREE    TEAKS    I-V    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  General   McDowell   sent   the    following   to    President 

Sunday,         Lincoln  : 
June  15. 

So  much  has  been  said  about  my  not  going  to  aid  McClellan  and  of  his  need 
ol  reinforcements  that  I  beg  the  President  will  now  allow  me  Jo  take  every  man 
that  can  be  spared.  I  make  this  request  in  view  of  what  I  have  just  learned  from 
Front  Royal  of  an  intention  to  have  my  second  division  broken  up  and  HartsufFs 
brigade  transferred  to  General  Banks'  department. 

Fremont's  and  General  Banks*  commands  are  now  superabundantly  strong 
for  all  purposes,  in  the  valley. 

In  a  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  he  further  says  that 
he  learns 

There  is  a  plan  on  foot  for  having  HartsufPs  brigade  transferred  to  Banks', 
who  is  on  his  way  to  Washington.  I  regret  to  have  to  trouble  you  in  this  matter, 
and  beg  that  I  may  not  be  deprived  of  Hartsuff. 

He  also  wrote  to  the  same  purpose  to  Secretary  Stanton. 
The  reply  which  he  received  from  the  Secretary  of  War  was  as 
follows : 

You  need  be  under  no  apprehension  about  your  force  being  broken  up. 
Banks  wants  Hartsuff's  brigade,  but  the  President  refuses  to  let  it  be  taken  from 
your  command.  Banks  comes  here  by  my  invitation,  in  order  that  the  President 
may  see  him  and  urge  prompt  compliance  with  his  arrangement. 

We  might  have  been  saved  a  good  deal  of  headache  about  our 
transfer  to  Banks  if  General  McDowell  had  invited  us  into  his  tent, 
and  while  extending  the  hospitalities  of  his  sideboard,  quietly 
informed  us  that  his  love  was  too  overpowering  to  admit  of  the 
change ;  but  this  kind  of  forgetfulness  was  common  among  corps 
commanders. 

General  Shields'  division  returned  to-day  from  Cross 
Monday,  ,,  ,  , 

Keys  as  ragged  and  dirty  as  ourselves,  but  the  fighting 

they  had  seen  made  them  heroes  in  our  eyes. 

At  1 1.30  A.M.  we  took  cars  for  Manassas,  fifty  miles. 
Tuesday,  Left  the  cars  about  6  P.M.  and  marched  two  miles  and 
June  17.  went  into  camp  about  half-way  between  the  junction  and 

the  Bull  Run  battlefield  of  July,  '61,  and  on  the  road  to 
Blackburn's  ford. 


THIRTEENTH    JVJ.S'X.     1'OL.Sf.  85 

'862.  The  following  information  was  sent  from  Manassas  by 

General  McDowell  to  General  Banks  on  this  date  : 

I  beg  to  acquaint  you  that  General  HartsufTs  brigade  has  moved  here  to-day; 
that  General  Ricketts  will  follow  to-morrow,  and  that  General  Shields'  division 
is  now  in  Front  Royal,  where  I  will  thank  you  to  support  him,  in  case  it  should 
be  necessary,  until  he  can  be  withdrawn. 

In  camp  at  Manassas  Junction,  where  we  remained 
Wednesday,  until  July  4.  In  our  childhood  we  were  taught  that 
June  18.  "  God  is  everywhere,"  but  after  seeing  this  place  we 
concluded  that  there  were  exceptions  to  this  statement. 

Some  of  us  made  ourselves  quite  comfortable  by  building  up  sides 
with  boards  and  pitching  tents  on  top,  so  as  to  make  it  high  enough 
to  walk  in  without  stooping.  By  putting  two  tents  together,  it 
looked  like  a  hut  with  a  canvas  roof.  We  built  narrow  seats  against 
the  sides,  about  eighteen  inches  from  the  ground,  extending  the 
whole  length  of  both  tents,  serving  the  double  purpose  of  a  seat 
by  day  and  bed  by  night.  As  boards  were  scarce,  this  idea  was  not 
extensively  carried  out.  Those  who  omitted  to  build  these  huts, 
suffered  from  the  first  rain-storm.  Manassas  being  situated  as  though 
at  the  bottom  of  a  bowl,  every  time  it  rained  all  the  water  collected 
from  the  surrounding  hills,  and  as  it  did  not  soak  away  very  readily, 
the  result  was  an  inundated  camp. 

Four  to  five  hours  daily  were  spent  in  drilling.  Rations  were  in 
abundance  and  sutlers  numerous,  so  on  the  score  of  food  we  had 
little  reason  for  complaining. 

On  this  date  the  following  order  was  issued  by  the 
June  26.        ,,      . , 

President : 

Ordered  (i),  The  forces  under  Major-Generals  Fremont,  Banks,  and  Mc 
Dowell,  including  the  troops  now  under  Brigadier-General  Sturgis  at  Washington, 
shall  be  consolidated  and  form  an  army,  to  be  called  the  Army  of  Virginia. 

2.  The  command  of  the  Army  of  Virginia  is  specially  assigned  to  Major- 
General  John  Pope,  as  commanding-general.  The  troops  of  the  Mountain 
Department,  heretofore  under  command  of  General  Fremont,  shall  constitute  the 
First  Army  Corps,  under  the  command  of  General  Fremont;  the  troops  of  the 
Shenandoah  Department,  now  under  General  Banks,  shall  constitute  the  Second 
Army  Corps,  and  be  commanded  by  him;  the  troops  under  the  command  of 


86  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  General  McDowell,   except  those  within  the  fortifications  and  city 

of  Washington,  shall  form  the  Third  Army    Corps,  and  be   under 
his    command. 

3.  The  Army  of  Virginia  shall  operate  in  such  manner  as,  while  protecting 
Western  Virginia  and  the  national  capital  from  danger  or  insult,  it  shall  in  the 
speediest  manner  attack  and  overcome  the  rebel  forces  under  Jackson  and  Ewel^ 
threaten  the  enemy  in  the    direction   of   Charlottesville,    and    render    the    most 
effective  aid  to  relieve  General  McClellan  and  capture  Richmond. 

4.  When  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  the  Army  of  Virginia   shall  be  in 
position  to  communicate  and  directly  cooperate  at  or  before  Richmond,  the  chief 
command,  while  so  operating  together,  shall  be  governed,  as  in  like  cases,  by  the 
"  Rules  and  Articles  of  War." 

A  good  bit  of  work  was  cut  out  for  us  by  this  order,  and  how  well 
we  performed  the  task  will  be  seen  farther  on. 

As  Fourth  of  July  approached,  thoughts  of  having  a  celebration 
found  utterance.  Some  of  the  boys,  appreciating  that  our  near 
ness  to  Washington,  with  daily  communication  by  rail,  made  it 
possible  for  friends  at  home  to  come  out,  wrote  to  them,  and  several 
took  advantage  thereof  by  suddenly  making  appearance  in  camp. 
It  afforded  us  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  to  entertain  them,  and  we  did 
our  best  to  make  them  comfortable  while  they  stayed  ;  but  before  their 
departure,  they  were  the  most  miserable  creatures  in  existence.  To 
them  the  fare  was  poor  and  the  beds  hard.  There  were  also  visitors 
from  the  State  authorities,  who  came  out  to  look  after  the  condition 
of  Massachusetts  troops,  but  they  were  better  taken  care  of.  The 
officers  were  very  courteous  in  their  offers  of  hospitality  to  all  the 
visitors,  but  those  of  the  rank  and  file  said  they  preferred  roughing 
it  with  the  boys  —  and  they  found  it  was  rough.  Boxes  were  re 
ceived  from  home,  in  many  instances  containing  the  ingredients  for  a 
Fourth- of- July  punch,  and  we  all  looked  forward  to  a  glorious  time. 

We  were  early  at  work  opening  boxes  —  those  which 
Friday,  nac^  not  already  been  opened  —  and  preparing  for  a 
July  4.  grand  celebration,  when  an  order  was  received  to  march 
at  8  o'clock.  A  howl  went  up  at  this  news,  and  groans 
for  McDowell  were  heard  everywhere.  To  our  minds  it  looked  like 
a  piece  of  spite.  There  was  no  way  out  of  it,  so  we  took  all  the 
boxes  on  the  parade  ground,  piled  them  up  in  a  pyramid,  with  the 
empty  bottles  on  top,  and  then  pelted  them  with  rocks  until  the  last 


THIRTEENTH   .MASS.     VOLS.  87 

1862.  one  was  smashed.  Soon  after  we  bade  "good-by"  to 

our  visitors  and  proceeded  on  our  way  in  a  most  un 
pleasant  mood.  As  we  marched  along  the  road  we  noticed  three 
figures  hanging  in  the  air,  effigies  of  Stanton,  McDowell,  and  Jeff 
Davis,  labelled  respectively,  so  no  mistake  should  be  made  as  to 
whom  they  were  intended  to  represent.  We  expressed  our  appro 
bation  as  we  passed  by. 

After  marching  eleven  miles,  we  camped  for  the  night  about  a 
mile  beyond  Gainesville,  on  the  road  to  Warrenton.  We  found  cher 
ries  in  great  abundance,  and  were  privileged  by  General  Hartsuff  to 
gather  all  we  wanted.  The  day  was  hot  and  sultry  and  reminded  us 
of  our  march  of  a  year  ago  when  the  battalion  companies  escorted 
the  city  government  of  Boston  on  its  annual  parade.  We  found  no 
such  hospitality  as  greeted  us  on  that  occasion. 

Our  march  to-day  was  in  consequence  of  the  following  order  from 
General  Pope  to  General  McDowell,  July  3,  '62  : 

GENERAL :  I  think  you  had  best  push  Ricketts'  division  as  far  as  Warrenton, 
and  direct  it  to  take  post  there.  .  .  .  Will  you  please  have  these  arrange 
ments  made  without  delay?  I  desire  also  to  hear  from  the  division  at  Warren 
ton  at  least  once  a  day. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  that  McDowell  was  not  responsible  for  our 
marching  to-day,  though  we  gave  him  credit  for  it,  as  we  did  every 
thing  else  that  was  disagreeable. 

During  the  afternoon  the  question  arose  as  to  where  we  were  to 
halt  for  the  night,  it  depending  on  a  supply  of  water.  In  discuss 
ing  the  subject  with  the  regimental  commanders,  General  Hartsuff 
suggested  that  Colonel  Leonard  turn  the  Thirteenth  into  the  nearest 
field,  and  he  felt  sure  the  men  would  find  water  if  there  was  any 
about.  There  was  reason  for  this  suggestion,  inasmuch  as  it  was  the 
habit  of  a  good  many  of  the  boys,  when  the  final  halt  for  the  day 
was  made,  to  start  with  towels  in  hand  for  the  nearest  brook  for  a 
bath,  without  suggestion  as  to  where  water  could  be  found. 

There  were  boys  in  each  company  who  had  an  unerring  instinct  as 
to  the  location  of  water.  We  had  one  man  in  particular,  whom  we 
called  "  Simplot,"  to  whom  Nature  had  unfolded  many  of  her  secrets. 
He  knew  the  name  of  every  bird,  of  every  tree  and  flower,  and 


88  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  seemed  to  know  equally  well  where   to  find  water,  for 

whenever  there  was  any  doubt,  he  would  give  the  direction 
in  which  to  seek  it,  as  if  he  knew  every  foot  of  the  country ;  but  his 
information  about  whiskey  was  not  as  correct.  Once  acquire  the 
habit  of  cleanliness,  and  you  are  ever  after  the  slave  of  soap  and 
water.  It  is  as  difficult  to  overcome  as  drinking  or  the  use  of  opium. 
In  Colonel  Fox's  "Statistical  Book  of  the  War"  occurs  the  fol 
lowing  paragraph  : 

The  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  has  a  meritorious  record  in  its  small  number  of 
deaths  from  disease,  its  percentage  of  deaths  from  that  cause  being  the  smallest 
of  any  three-years  regiment  in  the  entire  army.  There  were  regiments  with  a 
smaller  number  of  deaths  from  disease,  but  they  were  two-years  regiments,  or 
carried  a  less  number  of  names  on  their  rolls.  The  extraordinary  exemption  from 
disease  in  the  Thirteenth  Infantry  would  indicate  that  the  regiment  was  composed 
of  superior  material. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  cause  by  which  we  excelled  all  others 
in  healthfulness,  we  hesitate  to  admit  that  it  was  due  to  habits  of 
cleanliness,  inasmuch  as  later  on,  when  the  exigencies  of  the  service 
prevented  a  liberal  use  of  water,  most  of  us  continued  to  remain 
free  from  sickness  of  any  kind.  In  spite  of  this  encomium  we  did 
have,  here  and  there,  a  man  so  insensible  to  personal  cleanli 
ness,  so  fond  of  the  tickling  sensations  of  that  little  parasite 
called  the  "  grayback,"  as  to  neglect  the  ordinary  proprieties 
of  life  which  are  dependent  on  the  use  of  water.  In  the  first 
year  of  our  service  there  was  no  excuse  for  any  man  not  keep 
ing  reasonably  clean,  and  any  dereliction  in  this  respect  was 
sure  to  excite  complaint  from  one's  associates.  Uncleanliness  was 
one  of  the  things  the  regiment  would  not  patiently  endure.  There 
were  instances,  though  very  few,  where  the  offender  was  taken  to  a 
brook,  stripped  of  his  clothing,  and  his  body  holystoned  until  he 
looked  like  a  boiled  lobster.  One  such  case  we  have  in  mind,  of  a 
man  whose  uselessness  as  a  soldier  suggested  a  likeness  to  that 
worthless  old  arm  known  as  the  "  smooth-bore  musket,"  which  was 
carried  by  a  few  regiments  in  the  first  months  of  the  war,  and  so 
they  called  him  "  Smooth-bore."  Water  and  lead  were  two  things 
his  melancholy  nature  could  not  stand,  and  so  he  relieved  the  regi- 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  89 

1862.  ment  of   his  presence  by  deserting.      It  was  a  happy 

thought  on  his  part,  and  put  us  under  obligations  we  can 
never  repay.  To  our  mind,  nothing  he  did,  while  in  service,  so 
became  him  like  the  leaving  it.  Exit  "  Smooth-bore." 

Started  at  7.30  A.M.  for  Warrenton,  eight  miles. 
Saturday,  As  the  weather  was  very  hot  we  were  allowed  to  take  it 
July  5.  pretty  easy.  The  cherries  were  in  great  abundance 

along  the  road,  and  as  they  were  not  included  in  the  list 
of  articles  to  be  protected  for  the  use  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  we  were 
allowed  to  help  ourselves.  Just  before  our  arrival  in  camp,  news 
was  received  that  McClellan  had  taken  Richmond,  whereupon  we 
all  cheered  ourselves  hoarse.  Camp  gossip  set  the  day  for  our 
departure  for  home  during  the  following  week.  A  good  many  of  the 
boys  expressed  sorrow  that  they  were  to  go  home  without  seeing  any 
fighting  that  amounted  to  anything. 

We  went  into  camp  in  a  delightful  spot,  a  mile  or  so  from  the 
town  of  Warrenton.  The  whole  country  about  was  beautiful,  and 
the  land  possessed  of  great  fertility.  Near  our  camp  was  a  clear 
sparkling  brook  of  pure  water,  besides  a  spring  highly  impregnated 
writh  sulphur.  A  short  distance  away  were  blackberry  fields,  one  of 
which  was  many  acres  in  extent,  filled  with  berries  of  the  most  lus 
cious  kind,  reminding  us  of  the  words  in  Izaak  Walton  as  applied  to 
the  strawberry  :  "  Doubtless  God  might  have  made  a  better  berry,  but 
doubtless  He  never  did."  If,  perchance,  this  record  of  ours  is  read 
by  other  persons  than  ourselves,  who  have  not  seen  the  like,  they  may 
think  we  exaggerate  ;  that  the  contrast  with  our  frugal  fare  added  a 
fictitious  sweetness  to  the  berries  we  found  about  Warrenton.  And 
such  quantities  !  For  nearly  two  weeks  the  whole  division  luxuriated 
in  those  fields.  This  is  the  only  camp  of  the  regiment  where  the 
doctor  was  able  to  report :  "  No  sick  in  the  hospital." 

During  our  stay  at  this  place  we  received  a  visit  from  General 
Banks,  and  in  a  speech  he  made  encouraged  us  to  think  we  were  to 
be  transferred  to  his  command,  though  the  question  of  our  return  to 
him  had  been  settled  some  days  before.  It  seemed  to  stir  up  our 
enthusiasm,  however,  and  we  cheered  him  lustily.  As  this  was  on 
the  1 6th  of  July,  the  anniversary  of  our  muster-in,  we  felt  like  cele- 


90  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  brating,  though  little  opportunity  was  afforded  the  rank 

and  file  to  be  fooling  with  anniversaries. 

We  remained  in  this  camp,  in  this  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey,  until  the  226.  of  the  month.  While  we  were  at  Warren  ton 
the  following  order  was  issued  to  the  Army  of  Virginia  : 

WASHINGTON,  D.C.,  July  14,  1862. 

To  the  Officers  and  Soldiers  of  the  Army  of  Virginia  : 

By  special  assignment  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  I  have  assumed 
command  of  this  army.  I  have  spent  two  weeks  in  learning  your  whereabouts, 
your  condition,  and  your  wants,  in  preparing  you  for  active  operations,  and  in 
placing  you  in  positions  where  you  can  act  promptly  and  to  the  purpose.  These 
labors  are  nearly  completed,  and  I  am  about  to  join  you  in  the  field. 

Let  us  understand  each  other.  I  have  come  to  you  from  the  West,  where  we 
have  always  seen  the  backs  of  our  enemies;  from  an  army  whose  business  it  has 
been  to  seek  the  adversary,  and  to  beat  him  when  he  was  found;  whose  policy 
has  been  attack,  and  not  defence.  In  but  one  instance  has  the  enemy  been  able 
to  place  our  WTestern  armies  in  defensive  attitudes.  I  presume  I  have  been  called 
here  to  pursue  the  same  system,  and  to  lead  you  against  the  enemy.  It  is  my  pur 
pose  to  do  so,  and  that  speedily.  I  am  sure  you  long  for  an  opportunity  to  win 
the  distinction  you  are  capable  of  achieving.  That  opportunity  I  shall  endeavor 
to  give  you.  Meantime  I  desire  you  to  dismiss  from  your  minds  certain  phrases 
which  I  am  sorry  to  find  so  much  in  vogue  amongst  you.  I  hear  constantly  of 
"  taking  strong  positions  and  holding  them,"  of  "lines  of  retreat,"  and  of  "bases 
of  supplies."  Let  us  discard  such  ideas.  The  strongest  position  a  soldier  should 
desire  to  occupy  is  one  from  which  he  can  most  easily  advance  against  the 
enemy.  Let  us  study  the  probable  lines  of  retreat  of  our  opponents,  and  leave 
our  own  to  take  care  of  themselves.  Let  us  look  before  us,  and  not  behind.  Suc 
cess  and  glory  are  in  advance,  disaster  and  shame  lurk  in  the  rear.  Let  us  act  on 
this  understanding,  and  it  is  safe  to  predict  that  your  banners  shall  be  inscribed 
with  many  a  glorious  deed,  and  that  your  names  will  be  dear  to  your  countrymen 
forever. 

(Signed)  JNO.  POPE, 

Major- General  Commanding. 

Some  of  the  boys  facetiously  called  it  the  "  Pope's  Bull." 
"  Seest  there  a  man  wise  in  his  own  conceit?  There  is  more  hope 
of  a  fool  than  of  hi  in,"  says  the  Holy  Bible.      Up  to  this  date  the 
army  was  well  disposed  toward  General  Pope,  but  this  bombastic 
and  offensive  circular  unfortunately  lessened  its  respect  for  him. 

It  will  be  noticed,  on  reading  the  circular,  that  "  my  headquarters 
are  in  the  saddle"  does  not  appear.  It  is  difficult,  now,  to  recall 


TIIIUTEENTll   MASS.     VOLS.  91 

1862.  just  how  we  became  possessed  with  the  idea  that  General 

Pope  wrote  it.  Probably  some  newspaper  desiring  to 
ridicule  his  famous  proclamation,  added  the  offensive  paragraph  on 
publishing  it,  and  the  army  not  being  very  friendly  toward  him,  re 
peated  it  so  often  as  a  joke  on  Pope,  very  soon  believed  it  to  be 
true.  It  became  a  by-word  throughout  the  army,  and  a  good  deal 
of  fun  we  had  out  of  it.  In  justice  to  General  Pope,  we  are  glad  to 
give  his  statement,  which  he  made  in  his  account  of  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  as  published  in  the  "  Century  "  magazine  of  Jan 
uary,  1886  : 

There  are  other  matters  which,  although  not  important,  seem  not  out  of  place 
in  this  paper.  A  good  deal  of  cheap  wit  has  been  expended  upon  a  fanciful  story 
that  I  published  an  order,  or  wrote  a  letter,  or  made  a  remark,  that  my"  head 
quarters  would  be  in  the  saddle."  It  is  an  expression  harmless  and  innocent 
enough,  but  it  is  even  stated  that  it  furnished  General  Lee  with  a  oasis  for  the  only 
joke  of  his  life.  It  is  painful,  therefore,  to  a  well-constituted  mind,  to  be  obliged 
to  take  away  the  foundation  of  that  solitary  joke;  but  I  think  it  due  to  army 
tradition,  and  to  the  comfort  of  those  who  have  so  often  repeated  this  ancient 
joke  in  the  days  long  before  the  Civil  War,  that  these  later  wits  should  not  be  al 
lowed  with  impunity  to  poach  on  this  well-tilled  manor.  This  venerable  joke  I 
first  heard  when  a  cadet  at  West  Point,  and  it  was  then  told  of  that  gallant 
soldier  and  gentleman,  Gen.  W.  J.  Worth.  I  presume  it  could  be  easily  traced  to 
the  Crusades,  and  beyond;  and  while  it  may  not  be  as  old  as  the  everlasting  hills, 
it  is  certainly  old  enough  to  have  been  excused  from  active  duty  long  years  ago. 
Certainly  I  never  used  this  expression,  or  wrote,  or  dictated  it,  nor  does  any  such 
expression  occur  in  any  order  of  mine;  and  as  it  has,  perhaps,  served  its  time  and 
effected  its  purpose,  it  ought  to  be  retired.  Let  us  hope  that  it  may  be  permitted 
to  sleep  in  peace,  and  no  longer  rack  the  brain  of  those  whose  intellectual  ma 
chinery  can  ill  bear  the  strain,  or  be  perpetuated  among  their  natural  successors. 

Military  critics  and  officers  high  in  command  have  asserted  that 
General  Pope  was  an  officer  of  exceptional  abilities.  If  this  is  true, 
and  we  are  not  inclined  to  dispute  it,  he  did  himself  a  grievous  wrong 
when  he  published  this  order. 

Marched   to  Waterloo,  ten  miles.     Though   the  dis- 
Tuesday,      tance  was  not  great  it  was  a  hard  march,  and  as  it  began 
July  22.         |.o  rajn  kefore  we  reached  our  camping-ground,  the  tem 
per  of  the  regiment  was  not  improved.     We  had  been 
feasting  on  the  fat  of  the  land  and  drinking  spring-water,  and  other- 


92  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  wise  enjoying  ourselves,  so  that  we  were  in  no  humor  to 

get  pleasure  out  of  a  hot,  dusty  road. 

In  passing  through  towns  and  villages,  and  even  on  the  high-roads, 
we  naturally  attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention.  We  frequently 
noticed  among  the  crowds  so  gathered,  the  scowling  faces  of  women, 
who,  upon  learning  we  were  from  Massachusetts,  saluted  us  as  "  Nig 
ger-lovers,"  and  other  opprobrious  epithets,  while  it  occasionally  hap 
pened  that  by  grimaces  only  could  they  express  the  intensity  of 
their  feelings.  We  were  in  no  way  disturbed  by  these  manifestations 
of  unfriendliness  on  the  part  of  the  fair  sex,  but  the  men  in  reddish- 
brown  suits,  watching  our  movements  with  eager  eyes,  passing  them 
selves  off  as  innocent  farmers,  who  were  they?  They  excited  our 
suspicion  by  their  restless,  sneaking  manners,  their  evident  desire  not 
to  be  observed.  Yes,  we  soon  learned  that  these  innocent  men  com 
bined  the  peaceful  avocation  of  farming  with  the  nocturnal  pastime 
of  throat-cutting,  under  the  leadership  of  that  champion  throat- 
cutter,  John  S.  Mosby.  It  often  happened,  later  on,  that  soldiers 
returning  to  camp  after  dark,  were  waylaid  and  murdered,  and  their 
bodies  horribly  mutilated.  Of  course  it  made  little  difference  to  the 
man  after  he  was  dead  what  disposition  was  made  of  his  body,  but 
it  was  none  the  less  disagreeable  to  the  living  to  contemplate  what 
might  be  the  fate  of  a  man  who  fell  into  the  hands  of  such  a  band, 
particularly  when  he  reflected  that  life  might  not  be  wholly  extinct 
when  the  mutilation  took  place.  It  was  the  presence  of  these  men 
in  our  midst  that  enabled  Mosby  to  carry  on  his  nefarious  work.  We 
can  respect  the  foe  who  stood  up  in  a  manly  way  and  fought  for  what 
he  honestly  believed  was  right,  but  we  do  not  believe  in  gilding  with 
heroism  the  deeds  of  Mosby  and  his  guerillas,  which  kind  of  warfare 
is  abhorred  by  all  civilized  nations. 

The  remarks  we  heard  from  the  bystanders  as  we  marched  along 
often  became  by-words  in  the  regiment.  We  were  no  exception  to 
the  generality  of  mankind,  of  liking  to  see  a  pretty  face,  even  if  it  did 
belong  to  a  woman  of  "  secesh  "  sentiments.  When  the  boys  at  the 
head  of  the  column  discovered  a  pretty  girl,  if  she  was  on  the  right 
side  of  the  road,  "guide  right"  would  be  passed  along  the  line ;  and 
"guide  left,"  if  on  the  left  side  of  the  road.  By  this  ingenious  device 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  03 

1862.  we  were  enabled  to  direct  our  eyes  where  we  would 

receive  the  largest  return  for  our  admiration. 

The  ignorance  displayed  in  answering  our  inquiries  respecting  dis 
tances  was  unfathomable.  An  answer  might  be  "  five  miles,"  and 
after  an  hour's  marching,  the  same  inquiry  would  be  repeated,  when 
the  answer  would  be  "  ten  miles."  We  often  would  be  told 
that  "  'Taint  a  great  ways  when  you  get  'most  there."  This  might, 
at  first,  seem  intended  for  a  joke,  but  its  frequency  and  the  stolidity 
with  which  it  was  given  re-moved  any  such  doubt.  After  awhile  the 
boys  would  reverse  the  question  by  asking  "  How  far  is  it  to  such  a 
place  when  you  get  'most  there?"  and  it  was  amusing  to  see  how 
completely  puzzled  they  were.  After  considerable  experience  of  this 
kind  we  concluded  that  while  Virginia  was  called  "  The  mother  of 
Presidents,"  she  was  not  the  mother  of  a  man  who  could  accurately 
tell  you  the  distance  from  one  town  to  another. 

Various  were  the  devices  adopted  by  the  boys  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  weary  marches.  On  these  occasions,  as  conversation 
was  allowed,  stories  were  told,  gossip  repeated,  discussions  carried 
on,  and  criticisms  made  on  the  acts  of  public  men,  as  well  as  on  the 
merits  of  our  commanders.  An  occasional  silence  would  be  broken 
by  the  starting  of  a  familiar  song,  and  very  soon  the  whole  regiment 
would  join  in  the  singing.  Sometimes  it  would  be  a  whistling  chorus, 
when  all  would  be  whistling.  Toward  the  end  of  a  day,  however,  so 
tired  were  we  all,  that  it  was  difficult  to  muster  courage  for  these 
diversions,  then  our  only  reliance  for  music  would  be  the  band. 
When  a  temporary  halt  was  granted,  it  was  curious  to  see  how 
quickly  the  boys  would  dump  themselves  over  on  their  backs  at  the 
side  of  the  road  as  soon  as  the  word  was  given,  looking  like  so 
many  dead  men.  There  was  one  thing  we  were  thankful  to  the 
colonel  for,  and  that  was  his  freedom  from  nonsense  on  such  occa 
sions.  No  "  right- facing,"  no  "  right-dressing,"  no  "  stacking  arms," 
to  waste  valuable  minutes,  but  "get  all  the  rest  you  can,  boys,"  and 
when  the  order  was  given  to  "  forward,"  each  man  took  his  place  in 
line  without  confusion  or  delay. 

Every  opportunity  for  a  joke  or  a  "grind"  on  a  comrade  was 
seized  to  enliven  our  toil.  At  this  particular  time  it  happened  that 


94  TIIEEE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  one  of  the  boys,  a  private  in  one  of  the  companies,  —  and 

we  beg  his  pardon  for  mentioning  the  circumstance,  — 
was  appointed  to  a  lieutenancy  in  the  Regular  army.  "  The  mills  of 
the  gods  grind  slowly,"  it  is  said,  but  he  must  have  thought  them  a 
lightning  express  in  comparison  to  the  wheels  of  our  War  Depart 
ment,  as  between  the  time  when  he  read  in  the  paper  his  confirma 
tion  by  the  Senate  and  the  time  when  lie  received  an  order  to  report 
at  Washington,  nearly  three  months  elapsed.  In  the  meantime, 
being  a  good  soldier,  he  did  duty  with  the  rest  of  us  as  good- 
naturedly  as  a  man  can  who  is  in  hourly  expectation  of  saying  "  good- 
by."  When  the  inquiry  was  made,  "  What  regiment  is  that?"  the 
answer  would  be  returned,  "  Thirteenth,  Mass. ;  none  but  regular 
army  officers  in  the  ranks  !  "  The  opportunity  of  saying  this  afforded 
us  more  enjoyment  than  it  did  the  bystanders,  who  had  no  appre 
ciation  of  what  it  meant. 

It  would  often  occur,  when  we  were  tired  and  dusty  from  a  long 
day's  march,  "  Old  Festive  "  would  ride  by,  when  suddenly  you  would 

hear  sung : 

"  Saw  my  leg  off, 
Saw  my  leg  off, 
Saw  my  leg  off  — 

SHORT!!!" 

There  was  another  man  in  the  regiment  who  contributed  a  large 
share  of  fun  for  the  amusement  of  others,  and  that  was  the  "  Medi 
cine  man  "  —  the  man  who  honored  the  doctor's  sight-drafts  for 
salts,  castor-oil,  etc.,  delicacies  intended  for  the  sick,  but  greatly  in 
demand  by  those  who  wished  to  rid  themselves  of  unpleasant  duties. 
He  was  the  basso  pro/undo  of  the  glee  club,  and  could  gaze  with 
out  a  tremor  at  the  misery  of  a  man  struggling  with  castor-oil,  while 
at  the  same  time  encouraging  him  to  show  his  gratitude  at  the  gener 
osity  of  the  Government  by  drinking  the  last  drop.  "  Down  with  it, 
my  boy,  the  more  you  take  the  less  I  carry." 

Moved  camp  to  a  better  spot,  on  Carter's  Run. 

Friday,  An  incident  happened  while  we  were  at  this  camp  that 

July  25.         shows  how  much  patience  was  required  to  prevent  one's 

language  from  acquiring  a  gilding  of  profanity.     In  the 

reduction  of  baggage,  company  kettles  and  pots  had  to  go,  so  that 


THIRTEENTH    MASK.     VOLS.  95 

1862.  each  man  was  forced  to  do  his  own  cooking  on  his  own 

fire,  and  with  his  tin  dipper.  Now,  this  meant  a  good 
deal  where  wood  was  scarce,  or  where  we  had  to  go  a  distance  for  it. 
Men  were  therefore  jealous  of  its  use  by  those  who  were  known  as 
being  too  lazy  to  procure  wood.  It  frequently  happened  that  when 
your  fire  was  well  going,  some  fellow  would  put  his  dipper  down 
beside  yours  and  with  flattering  words  of  greeting  ward  off  your 
anger,  gradually  pushing  the  dipper  farther  into  or  on  the  fire,  until 
he  had  gained  entire  possession  of  it.  This  was  aggravating,  but  not 
so  much  so  as  an  instance  where  a  single  fire  had  been  extended  by 
the  use  of  rails  until  it  contained  not  less  than  thirty  cups  filled  with 
water,  the  owners  crowding  and  pushing,  each  with  a  handful  of  coffee 
watching  for  the  water  to  boil,  when  he  was  to  put  in  his  coffee.  In 
walking  round  looking  for  a  vacant  spot  where  he  might  slide  in  his 
dipper,  one  of  the  boys  hit  his  toe  against  one  of  the  rails,  and  over 
went  all  the  dippers  into  the  fire.  Did  the  owners  sit  down  and 
laugh  at  the  accident?  No;  they  did  not.  Kven  those  whose  coffee 
had  been  placed  in  the  dippers  showed  no  joy.  Once  more  the  god 
dess  whose  name  suggests  eternal  punishment  was  invoked  upon  the 
offender.  "  For  a  voice  of  wailing  is  heard  out  of  Zion  :  How  are 
we  spoiled?  " 

Orders    were    read    notifying    us    of    the    death    of 
Thursday,     ex-President   Van    Buren.     Some    of  us  were    shocked 
July  31.         because  one  of  the  boys,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  asked, 
"  Who  in  h — 1  is  Van  Buren?  " 

The  brigade  was  ordered  out  in  full  marching  order  to  be  inspected 
by  General  Pope. 

An  order  was  received  that  men  quit  straggling  off  the  picket  line. 
Who  had  been  giving  away  the  secrets  of  the  picket  line  ? 

Yesterday  an  order  was  received  that  "  at  company  drills  the  men 
will  be  instructed  in  calculating  distances  within  five  hundred  yards." 
This  looked  like  business. 

At  5.30  A.M.  we  left  our  pleasant  and  healthy  camp  at 

Monday,       Waterloo  and  marched  towards  Culpeper,  eleven  miles. 

August  4.      -pne  roacis  were  dusty  and  the  temperature  of  the  air,  as 

well  as  our  language,  was  very  high.     We  had  been  very 


96  THREE    YEARS    IX    THE    AH  MY. 

1862.  comfortably  situated,  with  an  abundance  of  cherries,  good 

water,  and  enough  to  eat.  Nothing  better  could  be  got 
by  moving,  so  we  preferred  to  stay.  The  Government  showed  an 
uneasiness  about  us  that  was  very  exasperating.  Whenever  we  were 
particularly  pleased  with  our  situation,  it  took  that  moment  to  move 
us  to  some  less  agreeable  spot.  We  came  out  to  fight,  —  not  to  march. 
Therefore  it  was  the  duty  of  the  Government,  if  it  had  any  enemies, 
to  bring  them  along,  that  we  might  do  the  fighting,  and  go  home. 

Marched  at  5  A.M.     Having  paced  off  twelve  miles 
Tuesday,       we   went    into    camp   within   sight    of    Culpeper    Court 
August  5.      House,  and  in  close  proximity  to  a  large  number  of 
troops. 

In  the  afternoon  sudden  orders  were  received  to  move, 
Friday,  and  after  marching  about  four  miles  beyond  Culpeper, 
August  8.  we  Baited  for  the  night  near  Pony  Mountain.  An 
order  was  received  that  no  horses  be  allowed,  except  to 
those  men  mounted  by  law.  Perhaps  the  Government  thought  we 
were  keeping  private  saddle-horses. 

At  daylight  the  army  marched  a  few  miles  and  halted, 
Saturday,  while  General  Banks'  corps  continued  on  and  became 
August  9.  engaged  in  the  battle  known  as  Cedar  Mountain.  During 
the  day  we  several  times  changed  our  position,  short  dis 
tances,  in  hourly  expectation  of  taking  part  in  the  battle  which  we 
knew,  by  the  sound,  was  going  on.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we  were 
ordered  forward  to  take  our  place  in  line  of  battle,  first  leaving  our 
knapsacks. 

In  all  ages  and  in  all  climes  every  army  has  had  its  percentage  of 
men  who  ran  away,  hoping  they  might  escape  fighting,  and  our  army 
was  no  exception  in  this  respect.  On  our  way  to  the  front  we  saw 
men  who,  though  wounded  and  capable  of  taking  care  of  them 
selves,  were  being  assisted  to  the  rear  by  two,  three,  and  occasion 
ally  as  many  as  four  men,  who  shouted  as  we  passed  along,  "  Go  in 
boys  !  Give  'em  h — 1  !  "  In  their  haste  to  believe  "  that  discre 
tion  is  the  better  part  of  valor,"  they  forgot  that  if  this  remark 
has  any  force  at  all,  it  could  be  only  in  those  cases  where  valor  ex 
isted.  It  was  a  common  saying  in  the  army  that  such  men  wrote 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  97 

1862.  their  letters  home  in  red  ink  to  impress  their  friends 

with  the  belief  that  they  were  "  bloody  heroes." 

By  the  time  we  reached  the  front  it  was  nearly  dark  and  the 
fighting  had  ceased.  While  we  were  halted,  waiting  for  orders  for 
the  night,  General  Carroll's  brigade  came  marching  along  headed  by 
a.  fife  and  drum  corps  playing  "  Dixie  "  loud  enough  to  wake  the 
dead.  They  had  scarcely  reached  our  line  when  the  enemy's 
artillery,  from  an  elevated  position,  filled  the  air  with  exploding 
shells,  whereupon  they  turned  and  fled  to  the  rear,  helter-skelter, 
with  an  alacrity  that  was  laughable  considering  the  boldness  of  their 
advance,  while  the  enemy,  anticipating  what  would  happen  upon  a 
sudden  attack  like  this,  attempted  to  follow  up  the  advantage.  It 
was  a  critical  moment ;  a  panic  might  ensue  unless  prompt  and 
vigorous  measures  were  taken  to  prevent  it.  General  Hartsuff 
disposed  his  brigade  at  once.  His  prompt  action  and  his  experience 
as  an  artillerist,  in  moving  his  brigade  from  point  to  point  out  of 
range  of  the  enemy's  guns,  saved  it  from  the  loss  which  might  easily 
have  occurred  under  an  officer  with  less  practical  appreciation  of  the 
situation.  Shortly  afterward  we  were  led  along  the  base  of  the  hill 
to  the  right,  hugging  the  ground  while  the  enemy's  artillery  fired 
over  our  heads  into  the  woods  at  our  rear  until  after  midnight,  dur 
ing  which  time  our  artillery  returned  the  fire  with  equal  vigor.  It 
was  a  grand  sight  to  watch  the  burning  fuses  of  the  shells  as  they 
hissed  through  the  air,  while  we  laid  flat  on  the  ground,  safely 
ensconced,  until  morning.  At  daylight  a  flag  of  truce  was  received 
from  Jackson  asking  for  a  cessation  of  hostilities  to  enable  him  to 
bury  his  dead,  which  was  granted.  Instead  of  attending  to  this 
sacred  duty,  as  set  forth  in  his  request,  he  obeyed  the  injunction 
contained  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  says,  "  Let  the  dead  bury 
their  dead."  In  other  words,  he  took  advantage  of  the  armistice, 
and  with  his  army  slipped  quietly  away. 

When  daylight  appeared,  we  found  ourselves  near  a  cornfield,  and 
taking  advantage  of  the  occasion,  we  gathered  the  ripening  ears  and 
proceeded,  without  let  or  hinderance,  to  roast  them,  and  considering 
the  shortness  of  rations  this  was  a  big  streak  of  luck. 

We  were  very  fortunate  on  this  occasion,  as  the  Thirteenth  was 


98  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  the  only  regiment  in  the  brigade  that  suffered  no  loss. 

Persons  unfamiliar  with  such  matters  commonly  estimate 
the  value  of  a  regiment's  service  by  its  number  of  killed  and  wounded. 
This  is  not  a  safe  guide,  as  it  frequently  happens  that  the  com 
manding  officer  of  a  regiment  can  save  his  men  by  coolness 
and  good  judgment.  The  regiment  that  can  do  the  most  execution 
with  the  smallest  loss,  is  certainly  the  one  that  serves  the  country 
best.  An  instance  happened  with  us  at  this  time  which,  though 
seemingly  insignificant,  illustrates  this  idea  very  well.  When  we  re 
ceived  orders  to  change  position  to  the  right,  the  brigade  had  its 
bayonets  "  fixed."  The  moon  happened  to  be  in  a  cloud  when  the 
movement  was  begun,  and,  as  it  was  important  that  it  be  made  with 
all  possible  secrecy  to  the  enemy,  our  colonel  gave  the  order  to 
"  trail  arms  ! "  which  order  had  the  effect  of  concealing  the  bayonets 
from  view  as  the  moon  became  unobscured.  The  position  of 
the  other  regiments  was  discovered  when  the  rays  of  the  moon 
flashed  on  their  bayonets,  thereby  drawing  the  enemy's  fire. 
Whether  or  not  this  accounts  for  our  good  fortune,  the  thoughtful- 
ness  exhibited  by  the  colonel  on  this  occasion  has  often  been  spoken 
of  in  terms  of  praise.  There  are  plenty  of  instances  during  the  war 
when  the  rashness  of  officers  has  cost  the  lives  of  many  men. 

General  Hartsuff 's  report  of  his  part  in  the  battle  of  Cedar  Moun 
tain  is  as  follows  : 

I  first  took  position  in  close  column  by  division  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  centre  of  General  Tower's  line,  and  when  the  fire  of  the 
enemy's  battery  was  directed  toward  my  position,  I  moved  my  brigade  a  few 
yards  beyond  the  crest  of  a  hill,  which  sheltered  them  from  the  fire,  and  changed 
my  direction  so  as  to  face  the  fire.  In  this  position  I  remained  until  3.30  A.M., 
when,  by  General  McDowell's  directions,  I  moved  about  half  a  mile  to  the  rear. 
Officers  and  men  behaved  under  the  unexpected  and  close  fire  with  very  com 
mendable  coolness;  ranks  were  unbroken,  and  there  was  no  confusion. 

The  last  place  to  look  for  a  stock  company  would  be  among  a 
regiment  of  soldiers.  After  being  deprived  of  camp  kettles,  mess 
pans,  etc.,  each  man  was  obliged  to  do  his  own  cooking,  as  already 
stated,  in  his  tin  dipper,  which  held  about  a  pint.  Whether  it  was 
coffee,  beans,  pork,  or  anything  depending  on  the  services  of  a  fire  to 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  99 

1862.  make  it   palatable,  it  was  accomplished   by  aid  of  the 

dipper  only.  Therefore  any  utensil  like  a  frying-pan  was 
of  incalculable  service  in  preparing  a  meal.  There  were  so  few  of 
these  in  the  regiment,  that  only  men  of  large  means,  men  who  could 
raise  a  dollar  thirty  days  after  a  paymaster's  visit,  could  afford  such 
a  luxury.  In  one  instance  the  difficulty  was  overcome  by  the  for 
mation  of  a  joint-stock  company,  composed  of  five  stockholders, 
each  paying  the  sum  of  twenty  cents  toward  the  purchase  of  a 
frying-pan,  which  cost  the  sum  of  one  dollar.  The  par  value  of  each 
share  was  therefore  twenty  cents.  It  was  understood  that  each 
stockholder  should  take  his  turn  at  carrying  the  frying-pan  when 
on  a  march,  which  responsibility  entitled  him  to  its  first  use  in 
halting  for  the  night.  While  in  camp,  it  passed  from  one  to  the 
other  each  day  in  order  of  turn.  It  was  frequently  loaned  for  a 
consideration,  thereby  affording  means  for  an  occasional  dividend 
among  the  stockholders.  The  stock  advanced  in  value  until  it 
reached  as  high  as  forty  cents  per  share,  so  that  a  stockholder  in  the 
"Joint  Stock  Frying  Pan  Company"  was  looked  upon  as  a  man  of 
consequence.  Being  treated  with  kindness  and  civility  by  his  com 
rades,  life  assumed  a  roseate  hue  to  the  shareholders  in  this  great 
company,  in  spite  of  their  deprivations.  It  was  flattering  to  hear 
one's  self  mentioned  in  terms  of  praise  by  some  impecunious  com 
rade  who  wished  to  occupy  one  side  of  it  while  you  were  cooking. 
On  this  particular  morning,  when  we  started  out,  expecting  shortly 
to  be  in  a  fight,  the  stock  went  rapidly  down,  until  it  could  be  bought 
for  almost  nothing.  As  the  day  progressed,  however,  there  was  a 
slight  rise,  though  the  market  was  not  strong.  When  the  order  was 
given  to  leave  knapsacks,  it  necessarily  included  this  utensil,  and  so 
the  "Joint  Stock  Frying  Pan  Company  "  was  wiped  out. 


100  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

1862.  MARCHED  back  to  the  place  where  we  left  our  knapsacks 

Sunday,  yesterday  afternoon,  while  on  the  way  to  the  front. 
August  10.  Having  recovered  our  worldly  goods  and  restored  our 
tempers  to  as  near  a  normal  condition  as  the  exasperat 
ing  circumstances  would  allow,  we  were  formed  in  a  square  to  listen 
to  a  sermon  by  the  chaplain,  whose  text  was,  "  What  came  ye  out  for 
to  see?  "  That  was  a  conundrum  that  each  must  answer  for  himself, 
and  some  of  us  very  soon. 

Marched   to    the    Rapidan   River,    seven   miles,    and 
n  ay'          camped.     The  spot  selected  was    in  an  elevated  posi- 

August   i  ^. 

tion  in  sight  of  the  river  and  the  fields  beyond,  where 
could  be  seen  the  enemy's  pickets. 

In  the  afternoon  we  received  sudden  orders  to  march 
y'        down  the  river  about  four  miles,  the  enemy  being  in  force 

August  17.  ° 

on  the  opposite  side.  Our  camp  was  not  far  from 
Mitchell's  station,  and  the  water  scarce. 

In  the  afternoon  a  batch  of  recruits  arrived  from  Bos- 
Monday,  ton,  and  another  fine  lot  of  boys  they  were.  Their  knap- 
August  1 8.  sacks  were  loaded,  as  we  knew  from  experience,  with 

many  things  they  could  do  without,  and  beside  ours  they 
looked  like  "  Saratogas."  They  were  at  once  drawn  up  in  line  and 
assigned  to  companies,  after  which  the  chaplain  gave  them  some 
friendly  advice  as  to  what  we  "  old  fellows"  were;  cautioning  them 
to  beware  of  our  seductive  advice  about  discarding  this  or  that,  and 
particularly  cautioning  them  about  swapping  their  bright,  new  dippers 
for  our  old,  battered  ones.  His  advice  was,  no  doubt,  well-inten 
tioned,  but  his  accusations  were  so  general  that  the  recruits  hardly 
knew  whom  to  trust,  and  it  was,  therefore,  a  rather  delicate  matter 
for  us  to  give  advice,  though  they  sadly  needed  it.  However,  we 


MAP      N9 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  .1.01 

1862.  did  our  best  to  make  them  comfortable,  though  the  best 

must  have  seemed  very  little  to  them,  and  let  experience 

teach  them  the  rest.     As  there  were  very  few  surplus  guns,  most  of 

these  recruits  had  to  do  without  them  until  after  the  3Oth  of  August. 
At  1 1    P.M.  the  long  roll  was  sounded    and,  nearly  dead  with 

sleep,  we  turned  out  to  answer  to  our  names,  and  then  to  march. 

We    marched    about    an    hour   toward    Culpeper,   when   we    were 

halted  to  allow  the  wagon  train  to  pass. 

From  midnight  until   9   o'clock   in   the   morning  we 

Tuesday,      stood  in  the  road,  with  our  noses  pointed  toward  •  Cul- 

August  19.    peper,  patiently   waiting   for  an  order    to  march,    in  a 
frame  of  mind  that  is  well  described  by  Mr.  Kipling  in 

the  following  lines : 

"Wot  makes  the  soldier's  'eart  to  penk,  wot  makes  'im  to  perspire? 
It  isn't  stantlin'  up  to  charge  or  lying  down  to  fire; 
But  it's  everlastin'  waitin'  on  a  everlastin'  road 
For  the  commissariat  camel  an'  'is  commissariat  load." 

It  was  a  long  weary  march  of  twenty  miles  and  a  very  hot  day. 
When  twelve  miles  had  been  counted  off  we  were  led  into  a  field,  as 
we  supposed,  to  camp  for  the  night.  Having  faced  into  line,  General 
Hartsuff  addressed  us  in  complimentary  terms  on  the  manner  in 
which  this  distance  had  been  made,  trusting  the  remaining  eight 
miles  to  the  Rappahannock  River,  which  we  must  reach  before  mak 
ing  a  halt  for  the  night,  would  be  done  in  the  same  good  order. 
Our  hopes  were  therefore  completely  dashed.  The  fact  that  the 
enemy  were  closely  following  us,  as  we  were  informed,  lent  a  vigor 
to  our  step  in  the  remaining  eight  miles,  though  it  was  not  until  after 
dark  (8.30  P.M.)  that  we  crossed  the  river  at  Rappahannock  station 
and  bivouacked.  If  a  man  has  the  luck  to  escape  picket  duty  after 
such  a  day's  work  he  has  reason  to  thank  his  stars.  Our  retreat 
afforded  the  women  of  Culpeper  a  good  deal  of  pleasure.  It  is  well 
to  know  that  some  one  got  pleasure  out  of  it,  even  if  we  did  not. 

Early  in  the  morning  the   "  rebs  "  were  seen  on  the 

Wednesday,  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  we  were  hastily  thrown 

August  20.    acrosS)  companies  D  and  K  acting  as  skirmishers.     Very 

soon  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  followed  and  relieved  us, 


102  :TIIEEE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  when  we  took  position  on  a  little  knoll  near  the  bridge, 

and  proceeded  at  once  to  throw  up  earthworks  for  our 
protection.  In  order  to  do  this  with  haste  we  were  obliged  to  resort 
to  our  tin  plates,  dippers,  or  anything  else  we  could  find  that 
would  do  the  work.  Matthews'  battery  (Co.  F,  First  Pennsylvania 
Artillery)  was  with  us.  During  our  stay  at  Williamsport  last  winter, 
this  battery  was  encamped  within  our  lines,  by  reason  of  which  we 
became  well  acquainted  with  the  men  and  officers.  They  had  con 
tinued  with  us  in  the  same  brigade  right  along  since.  They  were  a 
first-rate  set  of  fellows,  and  we  appreciated  very  highly  the  acquaint 
ance  thus  formed,  and  which  continued  in  perfect  harmony. 

We  continued  our  work  in  the  trenches,  the  artillery 
Thursday,  firing  over  our  heads,  while  the  infantry,  like  "Brer 
August  21.  Fox,"  laid  low.  General  McDowell  visited  us  daily.  A 
conspicuous  article  of  his  apparel  was  the  pith  hat  which 
he  wore  to  protect  his  head  from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  This  hat, 
which  .looked  like  an  inverted  wash-bowl,  was  a  matter  that  excited 
much  unreasonable  comment  among  the  men  of  his  corps. 

The  heavy  rain  of  yesterday  had  such  an  effect  on  the 
Saturday,  river  that  at  half-past  four  this  morning,  General  Mc- 
August  23.  Dowell,  fearing  the  bridge  would  be  carried  away,  or 
dered  us  across  the  river,  which  order  we  carried  out 
with  rather  unseemly  haste.  Owing  to  the  excited  manner  of  the 
staff-officer  (Miller),  who  was  to  see  the  order  carried  out,  and  who 
damned  us  for  the  time  wasted  in  collecting  our  duds,  which  he 
seemed  to  think  we  ought  to  leave  behind,  a  good  deal  of  unneces 
sary  confusion  arose,  during  which  he  was  told  to  go  where  overcoats 
were  not  needed.  As  soon  as  we  reached  the  opposite  bank  there  be 
gan  a  heavy  firing  by  artillery  —  more  artillery-firing  than  we  had  seen 
before.  Inasmuch  as  we  lay  ensconced  behind  the  guns  this  duel  was 
very  impressive,  particularly  as  we  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being 
hit.  Once  the  enemy  charged  across  the  plain,  but  were  repulsed. 

In  the  afternoon  we  marched  toward  Warrenton. 

In  his  report  of  this  campaign  General  McDowell  says : 

Fearing  for  the  safety  of  Hartsuffs  brigade,  who  were  on  the  opposite  bank,  I 
ordered  them  to  be  withdrawn.     It  was  now  impracticable  to  cross  the  river  and 


TIlIUTEKNTIl    MASS.     VOLS.  103 

1862.  make  the  attack  you  had  planned.     Your  orders  then  were  to  move 

the  army  against  the  enemy,  who  had  crossed  at  Sulphur  Springs 
and  gone  to  Warrenton,  whence  he  had  made  the  attack  with  his  cavalry  at 
Catlett's,  and  who,  it  was  thought,  would  he  unable,  on  account  of  the  state  of 
the  river,  either  to  recross  or  be  reenforced. 

The  withdrawal  of  Hartsuff's  brigade  from  the  south  side  encouraged  the 
enemy  to  move  forward  to  seize  the  hills  he  had  abandoned  before  we  could 
complete  the  entire  destruction  of  the  railroad  bridge,  which  we  did  not  wish  to 
leave  for  the  enemy  to  repair  and  use  to  annoy  us  on  our  march  to  Warrenton. 
They  opened  a  furious  lire  upon  us,  and  moving  their  infantry  down  in  masses, 
rushed  upon  the  hill  Hartsuff  had  just  left. 

Back   and    forth    we  marched   all    day    between  two 

roads  that  led  to  Warrenton.  until  nieht.  when  we  moved 
August  24. 

to  a  spot  about  three  miles  beyond  that  town,  where  we 
halted  and  drew  rations.  The  officers  were  without  tents,  the  wagon 
train  having  disappeared.  They  had  our  charitable  commiseration. 

Rested  until  about  5  P.M.,  when  we  marched  to  the 
Monday,  Waterloo  road  and  went  into  camp.  General  H^ftsuff 
August  25.  was  ordered  to  the  hospital  on  account  of  old  wounds, 
and  the  Colonel  of  the  Ninth  New  York  assumed  com 
mand  of  the  brigade.  We  found  plenty  of  green  corn  and  apples  to 
help  out  our  rations. 

In  a  communication  to  General  Halleck,  under  this  date,  Gen 
eral  Pope  says  that  "  McDowell's  is  the  only  corps  that  is  at  all 
reliable  that  I  have."  If  we  had  only  known  of  this  compliment 
at  the  time,  we  should  have  felt  like  "  Dig  Injun  ! " 

At  7  A.M.  we  inarched  back  to  the  spot  we  left  last 
Tuesday  night  and  laid  there  about  an  hour,  and  then  marched 
August  26.  back  to  the  Waterloo  road  and  went  into  camp. 

At  night  the  rebel  general,  Stuart,  made  a  raid  on 
Pope's  headquarters.  The  repugnance  which  the  army  felt  toward 
General  Pope  gave  rise  to  expressions  of  glee  at  his  probable  dis 
comfiture  when  it  heard  of  this  raid. 

In  the  afternoon  we  started  on  what  turned  out  to  be 
Wednesday,  a  slow,  tiresome  march  of  only  eight  miles,  through  War- 
August  27.    renton,  out  on  the  Gainesville  road,  going  into  camp  at 
2.30   A.M.      This  dallying  along,   instead  of  marching 


104  THREE    YE AltS    IX    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  straight  on,  was  one  of  the  most  exasperating  things  with 

which  we  had  to  contend.  Having  no  knowledge  of 
what  was  going  on  about  us,  it  was  as  uninteresting  as  the  work  of 
a  galley-slave. 

Resumed  our  march  toward  Manassas,  but  on  reaching 
Thursday,  Hay  Market  we  were  ordered  to  leave  our  knapsacks  and 
August  28.  push  on  to  Thoroughfare  Gap  to  prevent  Longstreet's 
corps  from  reenforcing  Jackson.  As  we  recall  the  work 
of  that  day  we  are  not  able  to  rid  ourselves  of  the  impression  that  we 
might  easily  have  gained  possession  of  that  Gap  had  we  started 
earlier,  or  if  we  had  not  dallied  so  long  on  the  road  after  we  did 
start.  It  seems  that  Longstreet  left  White  Plains,  eight  miles  west  of 
the  Gap,  about  10  A.M.,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  it  just  before 
our  arrival,  so  that  when  we  got  there  the  woods  on  the  sides  of  the 
mountain  were  filled  with  "Johnnies."  Thoroughfare  Gap  is  natu 
rally  fortified,  and  whoever  occupied  it  might  easily  keep  possession 
against  a  much  superior  force. 

The  testimony  of  General  Ricketts,  on  this  movement,  given  at  the 
McDowell  Court  of  Inquiry  is  interesting  : 

I  received  an  order  on  that  day  (the  28th)  to  send  a  brigade  and  a  battery 
of  artillery  to  support  Colonel  Wyndham  at  Thoroughfare  Gap,  and  to  push  on  to 
the  same  place  with  the  rest  of  my  division.  I  do  not  know  what  hour  of  the  day 
the  order  was  received,  but  should  judge  some  time  in  the  forenoon.  I  was 
at  the  time  with  my  division  on  the  road  from  Buckland  Mills  to  Gainesville,  and 
marched  directly  across  the  country  by  Hay  Market.  This  order  was  brought 
to  me  by  Captain  Wadsworth,  of  General  McDowell's  staff,  and  was  in  writing. 
Somewhere  between  Hay  Market  and  Thoroughfare  Gap  I  saw  Captain  Leski, 
of  General  McDowell's  staff,  who  gave  pretty  much  the  same  order, —  to  go  there 
and  support  Colonel  Wyndham  at  the  Gap.  That  is  all  I  recollect. 

On  reaching  the  entrance  of  the  Gap  we  filed  to  the  left  along  the 
base  of  the  mountain,  which  was  covered  by  dense  woods  already  oc 
cupied  by  the  skirmishers  of  Longstreet's  corps.  Though  we  could 
not  see  the  enemy,  we  were  made  aware  of  his  presence  by  the 
bullets  which  flew  about  our  heads  in  too  great  a  profusion  for  com 
fort.  Protecting  ourselves  as  well  as  we  could  behind  a  stone  wall, 
we  prepared  to  return  the  fire  of  our  invisible  enemy.  After  a  few 
moments  we  were  again  formed  in  line,  retiring  to  the  open  field, 


TiriRTEEyrir  J/vis.s.    VOLS.  105 

1862.  where  we  were  deployed  as  skirmishers,  facing  the  woods 

on  the  mountain,  as  before.  Here  we  remained  for  a 
short  time  loading  and  firing  at  will,  until  an  order  was  given  to  fall 
back  to  another  piece  of  woods  in  our  rear  which  afforded  some 
protection  from  the  enemy's  fire.  About  dark  the  brigade  was  with 
drawn  and  marched  with  the  division  toward  Manassas  bivouacking 
shortly  after  midnight. 

In  connection  with  our  day's  work  the  experiences  of  companies 
D,  H,  and  K  ought  not  to  be  omitted. 

Upon  our  arrival  at  the  Gap  Company  D  was  deployed  as  skir 
mishers  and  advanced  up  the  mountain.  On  the  way,  the  boys  sud 
denly  came  across  a  lot  of  blueberries.  Such  an  abundance  they 
had  not  seen  since  leaving  home.  Hungry  and  thirsty,  they  forgot 
their  dangerous  position  and  proceeded  at  once  to  gather  what  they 
could.  While  thus  engaged,  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  which  was 
in  their  rear,  unaware  that  Company  I)  was  in  their  front,  began  to 
fire.  Between  two  fires  was  a  perilous  position  to  be  in.  The 
Eleventh  Pennsylvania  was  immediately  notified,  and  their  firing 
ceased.  Company  K  was  at  the  same  time  ordered  into  the  Gap  to 
take  possession  of  a  stone  mill,  followed  by  Company  H  as  support. 
Longstreet  had  already  entered  the  Gap  with  the  head  of  his  corps 
of  30,000  men,  making  it  a  specially  dangerous  service  for  these 
three  companies.  While  Company  I)  pursued  its  way,  K,  the  next 
company  on  the  right,  was  detailed  to  go  up  the  railroad  to  the  stone 
mill.  H  was  sent  to  support  K,  a  few  minutes  later;  it  followed  a 
small  stream  to  the  rear  of  the  mill,  entering  it  at  what  might  be 
called  the  cellar  or  basement.  These  companies,  in  column  of  fours, 
then  in  twos,  and  finally  in  single  rank,  marched  as  rapidly  as  pos 
sible,  without  running,  under  a  hot  fire  from  the  enemy,  without 
losing  a  man.  Upon  their  arrival  they  returned  the  fire  of  the 
enemy,  who,  being  concealed  by  the  woods,  probably  escaped  any 
loss.  Just  as  the  boys  were  getting  in  their  work,  a  full,  fresh-look 
ing  regiment  of  rebels  came  in  sight,  marching  across  from  the  rail 
road  toward  the  skirmish  line  of  1).  As  our  boys  were  about  to  fire 
into  this  regiment  an  aid  appeared  for  the  second  time  to  inform 
them  that  they  were  firing  into  their  own  men,  a  mistake  he  made  in 


106  THREE    YEARS    JJV    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  misapprehension  of  the  situation.     This  time  he  gave  no 

order  or  hint  what  the  boys  were  to  do,  but  his  previous 
instructions  having  been  opposed  to  defending  the  mill,  our  men 
were  forced  to  abandon  it  before  being  taken  prisoners,  and  returned 
to  the  regiment,  as  did  also  Company  D. 

Our  losses  at  Thoroughfare  Gap  were  two  men  killed  and  two 
wounded. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  CORPS, 

No.  10.  REYNOLDS'  CAMP,  Aug.  28,  1862. 

I.  Major-General  Sigel  will  immediately  march  with  his  whole  corps  on  Man- 
assas  Junction,  his  right  resting  on  the  Manassas  Railroad. 

II.  Brigadier-General  Reynolds  will  march  on  the   turnpike  immediately  in 
the  rear  of  General  Sigel,  and  form  his  division  on  the  left  of  General  Sigel,  and 
march  upon  Manassas  Junction. 

III.  Brigadier-General  King  will  follow  immediately  after  General  Reynolds, 
and  form  his  division  on  General  Reynolds'  left,  and  direct  his  march  upon  Man 
assas  Junction. 

IV.  Brigadier-General  Ricketts  will  follow  Brigadier-General  King  and  march 
to  Gainesville;  and  if,  on  arriving  there,  no  indication  shall  appear  of  the  approach 
of  the  enemy  from  Thoroughfare  Gap,  he  will  continue  his  march  along  the  turn 
pike,  form  on  the  left  of  General  King,  and  march  on  Manassas  Junction.     He 
will  be  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  an  attack  from  the  direction  of  Thoroughfare 
Gap,  and  in  case  one  is  threatened,  he  will  form  his  division  to  the  left  and  march 
to  resist  it. 

The  headquarters  of  the  corps  will  be  at  King's  division. 
By  command  of  Major-General  McDowell, 

(Signed)  ED.  SCH RIVER, 

Colonel,  Chief  of  Staff. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  VIRGINIA, 

BRISTOE  STATION,  Aug.  27,  1862,  9  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MCDOWELL  : 

At  daylight  to-morrow  morning  march  rapidly  on  Manassas  Junction  with  your 
whole  force,  resting  your  right  on  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad,  throwing  your  left 
well  to  the  east.  Jackson,  Ewell,  and  A.  P.  Hill  are  between  Gainesville  and 
Manassas  Junction.  \Ve  had  a  severe  fight  with  them  to-day,  driving  them  back 
several  miles  along  the  railroad.  If  you  will  march  promptly  and  rapidly  at  the 
earliest  dawn  of  day  upon  Manassas  Junction,  we  shall  bag  the  whole  crowd.  I 
have  directed  Reno  to  march  from  Greenwich  at  the  same  hour  upon  Manassas 
Junction,  and  Kearney,  who  is  in  his  rear,  to  march  on  Bristoe  at  daybreak.  Be 
expeditious  and  the  day  is  our  own. 

JNO.  POPE, 
Major-  General  Commanding. 


THIRTEENTH  MASS.  VOLS.  107 

l862-  At  the   McDowell  Court  of  Inquiry,  the  foregoing  was 

read,  when   the  following  question  was  asked  of  Gen 
eral  Pope  : 

Question  by  the  Court.  After  the  order  just  read  to  you,  had  General  Mc 
Dowell  any  discretionary  power  to  send  Ricketts'  division  to  Thoroughfare  Gap, 
to  check  the  approach  of  Longstreet? 

To  which  General  Pope  answered  as  follows  : 

Answer.  At  the  time  that  the  order  in  question  was  written,  I  was  satisfied 
that  we  had  completely  interposed  between  the  forces  under  Jackson  and  the  main 
body  of  the  enemy,  yet  to  the  westward  of  the  Bull  Run  Range.  The  order 
directing  General  McDowell's  march  would  have  carried  him  eastward,  and 
in  the  same  direction  in  which  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  was  marching  to 
join  Jackson.  I  believed  then,  and  believe  now,  that  we  were  sufficiently  in 
advance  of  Longstreet,  who  was  supposed  to  lead  the  main  body  of  the  enemy, 
that  by  using  our  whole  force  vigorously,  we  should  be  able  to  crush  Jackson 
completely  before  Longstreet,  by  any  possibility,  could  have  reached  the  scene  of 
action.  I  sent  nothing  to  General  McDowell  concerning  Thoroughfare  Gap, 
and  regretted  afterward  that  any  portion  of  his  forces  had  been  detatched  in  tiiat 
direction.  General  McDowell  had  the  discretion,  however,  necessarily  incident  to 
his  position,  and  to  his  distance  from  me,  to  make  such  a  disposition  to  cover  his 
rear,  as  he  might  consider  necessary.  From  the  order  of  General  McDowell, 
which  he  showed  me  afterward  (the  order  No.  10),  I  understood  that  the  move 
ment  of  Ricketts'  division  was  made  conditionally,  and  in  view  of  the  possibility 
of  an  attack  upon  his  rear,  from  the  direction  of  Thoroughfare  Gap. 

Question  by  the  Court.  Were  you  aware  that  King's  division  had  a  light  with 
the  enemy  near  the  evening  of  that  day,  and  after  the  light  fell  back  to  Manassas? 

Ans-oer.  It  was  reported  to  me  about  8  or  9  o'clock  at  night,  on  the  28th,  that 
King's  division  of  McDowell's  corps  had  met  the  enemy  retreating  from  Centre- 
ville,  and  after  a  severe  fight  had  remained  masters  of  the  field,  still  interposing 
between  Jackson's  forces  and  the  main  body  of  the  enemy.  This  report  was 
brought  to  me  by  a  staff-officer,  I  think,  of  General  King's.  Upon  receiving  this 
information  I  stated  to  several  of  my  staff-officers  who  were  present  that  the  game 
was  in  our  hands,  and  that  I  did  not  see  how  it  was  possible  for  Jackson  to  escape 
without  very  heavy  loss,  if  at  all.  Immediately  upon  receipt  of  this  intelligence 
I  also  directed  General  Kearney,  whose  division  occupied  Centreville,  to  push  for 
ward  cautiously  at  I  o'clock  that  night  in  the  direction  of  Gainesville,  to  drive  in 
the  pickets  of  the  enemy,  and  to  keep  himself  in  close  contact  during  the  night; 
to  rest  his  left  on  the  Warrenton  turnpike,  and  to  throw  his  right  to  the  north, 
toward  the  Little  River,  and  well  to  the  front.  I  directed  him  at  the  first  blush  of 
daylight  to  attack  the  enemy  with  his  right  advanced,  and  informed  him  that 
Hooker  and  Reno  would  be  with  him  immediately  after  daylight.  To  my  surprise 


108  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  and  dissatisfaction  I  learned  toward  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 

2Qth  that  King's  division  had  withdrawn  in  the  direction  of  Man- 
assas  Junction,  leaving  open  the  road  to  Thoroughfare  Gap.  This  withdrawal  of 
that  division  made  necessary  a  great  change  in  the  movement  and  the  position 
of  the  troops,  and  was  a  most  serious  and  unlooked-for  mistake.  I  was  so  im 
pressed  with  the  necessity  that  that  division  should  hold  its  ground  during  the 
night  of  the  28th,  that  I  sent  several  orders  to  General  King  (one  by  his  own 
staff-officer)  during  that  night  to  hold  his  ground  at  all  hazards  and  to  prevent 
the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  and  informed  him  that  our  whole  force  from  the  direction 
of  Centreville  and  Manassas  Junction  would  fall  upon  the  enemy  at  daylight. 

Another  hot  day.  At  5  A.M.  we  marched  to  Bristoe 
Friday,  Station,  about  five  miles,  rested  until  3  P.M.,  and  then 
August  29.  marched  to  the  Bull  Run  battlefield  of  1861,  passing 

through  Manassas. 

An  order  had  been  issued  for  the  muster-out  of  the  band,  but  owing 
to  the  excitement  of  those  busy  days,  no  attention  was  paid  to  it. 
In  the  meantime  they  kept  along  with  us,  not  knowing  where  else 
to  go. 

This  skurrying  back  and  forth  over  almost  the  same  ground  day 
and  night,  with  short  rations  and  hard  work,  was  harassing.  The 
rank  and  file  knew  little  about  what  was  going  on,  though  it  did 
know  that  Jackson  and  Longstreet  had  crossed  the  Bull  Run 
Mountains  in  spite  of  our  efforts  to  stop  or  delay  their  movements. 
We  also  knew  that  Stuart  had  made  a  daring  and  successful  raid  on 
Pope's  headquarters.  Therefore,  right  or  wrong,  it  betokened  to  us 
an  uncertainty  and  confusion  at  headquarters,  and  we  felt  the  hour 
could  not  be  far  distant  when  we  were  to  encounter  some  hard 
fighting.  These  reflections  had  no  effect  on  our  sleep,  however, 
which  was  sound  as  usual. 

We  spent  the  first  half  of  the  day  in  marching  back 
Saturday,  and  forth  ill  an  aimless  sort  of  way,  occasionally  halting 
August  30.  as  if  waiting  for  some  one  to  put  us  on  the  right  road. 
In  one  of  these  halts  we  were  ordered  to  leave  our 
knapsacks,  whereupon  we  piled  them  up  on  the  side  of  the  road  in 
the  woods,  and  for  aught  we  know  they  are  there  yet.  [A.D.  1893.] 
Toward  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  under  the  protection  of  a  knoll, 
we  hastily  drew  rations,  —  eighteen  hard-tack,  nine  spoonfuls  of 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  109 

1862.  sugar  and  nine  of  coffee,  which  allowance  was  to  last  us 

for  three  days.  In  fact  this  had  been  our  allowance  for 
some  time.  During  all  this  marching  and  counter- marching,  a 
desultory  firing  was  kept  up  by  the  enemy. 

Having  drawn  this  meagre  supply  of  rations,  we  were  marched  to 
the  top  of  a  knoll  near  by  and  halted.  Quite  a  number  of  the  boys 
loaded  with  canteens  started  off  for  water.  They  had  hardly  gone 
when  the  enemy  opened  the  battle  in  deadly  earnest  by  a  tremen 
dous  artillery  fire.  The  air  seemed  filled  with  shot  and  bursting 
shell,  the  noise  of  which  was  deafening.  While  we  stood  wondering 
what  we  should  be  called  upon  to  do,  General  McDowell  rode  up, 
and  inquiring  what  regiment  we  were,  ordered  us  into  line  at  once 
on  the  double-quick.  As  we  filed  down  the  knoll,  we  noticed  the 
hospital  men  bringing  off  the  zouaves  of  General  King's  division  on 
stretchers,  and  a  bloody  sight  it  was.  Suddenly  we  received  the 
order,  "  On  right  by  file  into  line  ! "  and  we  at  once  found  ourselves 
facing  the  enemy.  We  were  led  by  General  McDowell,  whose  cour 
age  we  had  so  often  doubted.  WTe  soon  found  it  was  lively  work, 
and  the  boys  were  falling  fast ;  but  General  Tower  was  close  to  us 
with  all  the  words  of  encouragement  at  his  command.  Standing  in 
his  stirrups  he  gave  the  order  to  fix  bayonets  and  then  to  "  Charge  /  " 
In  battle  the  order  to  charge  is  not  given  in  the  placid  tones  of  a 
Sunday-school  teacher,  but  with  vigorous  English,  well  seasoned  with 
oaths,  and  a  request,  frequently  repeated,  to  give  them  that  particular 
province  of  his  Satanic  Majesty  most  dreaded  by  persons  fond  of  a 
cold  climate.  At  the  same  time  you  are  ordered  to  yell  with  all  the 
power  of  your  lungs.  It  is  possible  that  this  idea  may  be  of  great 
advantage  in  forcing  some  of  the  heroic  blood  of  the  body  into  the 
lower  extremities.  Whatever  may  be  the  reason,  it  was  certainly  a 
very  effective  means  of  drowning  the  disagreeable  yell  of  the  enemy. 
We  charged  three  times,  and  on  each  occasion  were  successfully 
driven  back  by  the  solid  mass  of  men  in  front  of  us.  As  we  fell 
back  from  the  last  charge,  General  Tower,  on  horseback  (in  the  midst 
of  Company  B),  a  conspicuous  mark  for  the  enemy  who  were  within 
twenty-five  yards  of  us,  was  shouting  "  For  God's  sake  re-form  the 
line  !  "  when  he  was  sent  flying  through  the  air,  both  horse  and  rider 
fearfully  wounded. 


110  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  It  was  hot  work,  and  the  thinness  of  our  line,  compared 

with  the  solid  ranks  of  the  enemy,  made  it  painfully  evi 
dent  that  we  could  stand  the  terrible  fire  but  a  short  time  longer. 
Where  was  our  supporting  column?  Part  of  the  time  they  had  been 
firing  into  our  backs,  under  the  impression  that  we  were  the  enemy. 
Fortunately  that  error  was  discovered  before  much  harm  was  done. 
Already  the  enemy  had  planted  some  batteries  on  a  neighboring  knoll 
on  our  left  flank,  and  were  giving  us  the  benefit  of  a  raking  fire.  The 
order  was  then  given  to  retire  ;  but  as  only  part  of  the  regiment  heard 
it,  our  retreat  was  irregular  and  occasioned  some  confusion  and 
separation  of  companies. 

The  brigade  retired  in  fair  order,  acquitting  itself  creditably, 
carrying  off  all  guns  except  those  lost  in  actual  combat,  and  having 
checked  the  enemy's  pursuit.  That  night  we  bivouacked  at  Centre- 
ville. 

General  Hartsuff  having  been  sent  to  the  hospital  previous  to  the 
battle,  his  brigade  was  merged  with  that  of  General  Tower,  under 
whose  immediate  command  we  fought. 

Among  the  many  curious  and  affecting  incidents  of  an  army  life 
the  following  possesses  more  than  a  common  interest : 

In  one  of  the  companies  a  boy  sixteen  years  of  age,  after 
gaining  his  father's  consent,  enlisted  as  drummer,  being  too  young 
for  service  in  the  ranks.  The  popular  idea  is  that  weight  and  height 
are  necessary  qualifications  in  a  soldier.  To  be  sure,  as  far  as  ap 
pearance  goes,  the  large  men  have  the  advantage,  but  when  it  comes 
to  fighting  qualities,  it  was  shown  during  the  war  that  the  small  men 
could  do  quite  as  much  execution,  and  were  quite  as  good  soldiers. 
So  far  as  endurance  and  bravery  go,  the  "  ponies,"  as  they  were 
called,  had  no  superiors. 

We  were  all  young  —  mere  boys  —  but  this  boy  seemed  so  very 
much  younger  than  the  rest  of  us,  that  few  suspected  his  slight  and 
youthful  frame  contained  so  stout  and  brave  a  heart.  He  joined  the 
regiment  at  Fort  Independence,  and  by  a  sort  of  natural  selection 
became  the  chum  of  another  boy,  who,  though  older  in  years,  was 
also  slight  in  physical  make-up.  Perhaps  of  the  hundred  men  in 
the  company,  these  two  boys  would  have  been  the  last  selected  as 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  Ill 

1862.  possessing  special  merit  as  soldiers.     They  both  did  their 

duty  faithfully  and  without  a  grumble.  It  was  always  the 
ambition  of  the  younger  one  to  serve  in  the  ranks  with  his  chum  and 
carry  a  gun.  He  proved  an  inferior  drummer  by  very  reason  of  his 
ambition,  but  no  opportunity  was  afforded  him  of  making  the  change 
until  our  arrival  at  Williamsport,  Aid.,  when  two  other  boys,  possessed 
with  strong  Union  sentiments,  having  escaped  from  their  home  in 
Martinsburg,  Ya.,  where  their  family  had  been  terribly  persecuted  be 
cause  of  the  sentiments  they  expressed,  crossed  the  river  and  offered 
their  services  as  drummers  in  the  Thirteenth,  the  only  capacity  in 
which  they  could  be  received.  They  were  two  bright,  intelligent  boys, 
fourteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  were  accepted.  The  oppor 
tunity  was  thus  afforded  of  promoting  our  young  drummer  to  service 
in  the  ranks.  A  happier  boy  never  lived  than  he  on  the  day  when, 
with  a  gun  on  his  shoulder,  he  paraded  with  his  company.  The  two 
boys  were  now  closer  than  ever.  Being  of  the  same  height,  they 
were  enabled  to  march  side  by  side  and  render  each  other  assistance 
on  the  long,  weary  marches  of  the  regiment.  They  were  practically 
inseparable.  When  the  regiment  went  into  the  fight  of  Second  Bull 
Run,  the  younger  was  first  killed,  whereupon  the  other  took  him  in 
his  arms  to  move  his  body  one  side,  and  was  immediately  killed  by  a 
bullet  which  struck  him  in  the  temple.  As  the  army  retreated  it  was 
an  affecting  sight  to  see  these  two  boys,  so  close  to  each  other  in  life, 
now  locked  in  each  others  arms,  in  death. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  give  a  detailed  account  of  Pope's  campaign 
or  to  draw  any  conclusions  from  it,  nor  would  we  if  we  had  the  space, 
as  it  has  been  written,  discussed,  investigated,  and  rewritten  by 
persons  more  competent  than  ourselves  to  perform  such  a  service. 
We  have  made  a  few  extracts  from  his  report,  because  they  appear  to 
add  an  interest  to  our  narrative.  Those  who  wish  to  read  the  full 
report  —  and  it  is  of  great  interest  to  members  of  the  Thirteenth  — 
are  referred  to  "  Series  i,  Vol.  XIL,  Part  II.,  of  the  Official  Records 
of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion." 

In  his  report  of  the  campaign,  General  Pope  says : 

On  the  26th  day  of  June,  1862,  by  special  order  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  I  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of  Virginia.     That  army  was 


112  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  constituted  as  follows:  First  Corps,  under  Major-General  Fremont, 

11,500  strong;  Second  Corps,  under  Major-General  Banks,  reported 
14,500,  but  in  reality  only  about  8,000;  Third  Corps,  under  Major-General  Mc 
Dowell,  18,500;  making  total  of  38,000  men.  .  . 

It  was  the  wish  of  the  Government  that  I  should  cover  the  city  of  Washington 
from  an  attack  from  the  direction  of  Richmond,  make  such  dispositions  as  were 
necessary  to  assure  the  safety  of  the  valley  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  at  the  same 
time  so  operate  upon  the  enemy's  lines  of  communication  in  the  direction  of  Gor- 
donsville  and  Charlottesville  as  to  draw  off,  if  possible,  a  considerable  force  of  the 
enemy  from  Richmond,  and  thus  relieve  the  operations  against  that  city  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  .  .  . 

After  General  McClellan  had  taken  up  his  position  at  Harrison's  Landing,  I 
addressed  him  a  letter,  stating  to  him  my  position  and  the  distribution  of  the  troops 
under  my  command,  and  requesting  him  in  all  earnestness  and  good  faith  to 
write  me  fully  and  freely  his  views,  and  to  suggest  to  me  any  measures  which  he 
thought  desirable  to  enable  me  to  cooperate  with  him,  or  to  render  any  assistance 
in  my  power  in  the  operations  of  the  army  under  his  command. 

In  reply  to  this  communication,  I  received  a  letter  from  General  McClellan, 
very  general  in  its  terms,  and  proposing  nothing  toward  the  accomplishment  of 
the  purpose  I  had  suggested  to  him.  It  became  apparent  that,  considering  the 
situation  in  which  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  the  Army  of  Virginia  were  placed 
in  relation  to  each  other,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  harmonious  and  prompt 
cooperation  between  them,  some  military  superior  both  of  General  McClellan  and 
myself  should  be  called  to  Washington  and  placed  in  command  of  all  operations 
in  Virginia.  In  accordance  with  these  views,  Major-General  Halleck  was 
called  to  Washington  and  placed  in  general  command.  Many  circumstances, 
which  it  is  not  necessary  here  to  set  forth,  induced  me  to  express  to  the  President, 
to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  to  General  Plalleck,  my  desire  to  be  relieved  from 
the  command  of  the  Army  of  Virginia  and  to  be  returned  to  the  Western  country. 

Prom  the  i8th  of  August  until  the  morning  of  the  2yth,  the  troops  under  my 
command  had  been  continuously  marching  and  fighting,  night  and  day,  and 
during  the  whole  of  that  time  there  was  scarcely  an  interval  of  an  hour  without 
the  roar  of  artillery.  The  men  had  had  little  sleep,  were  greatly  worn  down  with 
fatigue,  had  had  little  time  to  get  proper  food,  or  to  eat  it,  had  been  engaged  in 
constant  battles  and  skirmishes,  and  had  performed  services  laborious,  dangerous, 
and  excessive,  beyond  any  previous  experience  in  this  country. 

Every  indication  during  the  night  of  the  291)1  and  up  to  10  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  3Oth  pointed  to  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  from  our  front.  .  .  . 
Gens.  McDowell  and  Heintzelman,  who  reconnoitred  the  position  held  by  the 
enemy's  left  on  the  evening  of  the  agth,  confirmed  this  statement.  They  reported 


T1URTEEXTU    MASS.     VOLS.  113 

1862.  to  me  that  the  positions  occupied  by  the  enemy's  left  had  l>een 

evacuated,  and  that  there  was  every  indication  that  he  was  retreating 
in  the  direction  of  Gainesville. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3Oth,  as  may  be  supposed,  our  troops,  who  had  been  so 
continually  marching  and  fighting  for  so  many  days,  were  in  a  state  of  great  ex 
haustion.  They  had  had  little  to  eat  for  two  days  previous,  and  the  artillery  anil 
cavalry  horses  had  been  in  harness  and  saddled  continually  for  ten  days,  and  had 
had  no  forage  for  two  days  previous.  It  may  easily  be  imagined  how  little  these 
troops,  after  such  severe  labor,  and  undergoing  such  hardship  and  privation,  were 
in  condition  for  active  and  efficient  service.  I  had  telegraphed  to  the  General-in- 
Chief,  on  the  28th,  our  condition,  and  begged  of  him  to  have  rations  and  forage 
sent  forward  to  us  from  Alexandria  with  all  despatch.  I  also  called  his  attention 
to  the  imminent  need  of  cavalry  horses  to  enable  the  cavalry  belonging  to  the 
army  to  perform  any  service  whatever. 

About  daylight  of  the  3Oth  I  received  a  note  from  General  Franklin,  herewith 
appended,  written  by  direction  of  General  McClellan,  and  dated  at  8  o'clock  the 
evening  before,  informing  me  that  rations  and  forage  would  be  loaded  into  avail 
able  wagons  and  cars  at  Alexandria  as  soon  as  I  would  send  back  a  cavalry  escort 
to  bring  out  the  trains.  Such  a  letter,  when  we  were  fighting  the  enemy,  and 
Alexandria  was  swarming  with  troops,  needs  no  comment.  Bad  as  was  the  con 
dition  of  our  cavalry,  I  was  in  no  situation  to  spare  troops  from  the  front,  nor 
could  they  have  gone  to  Alexandria  and  returned  within  the  time  by  which  we 
must  have  had  provisions  or  have  fallen  back  in  the  direction  of  Washington,  nor 
do  I  yet  see  what  service  cavalry  could  have  rendered  in  guarding  railroad  trains. 

It  was  not  until  I  received  this  letter  that  I  began  to  feel  discouraged  and 
nearly  hopeless  of  any  successful  issue  to  the  operations  with  which  I  was  charged, 
but  I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty,  notwithstanding  the  desperate  condition  of  my  com 
mand,  from  great  fatigue,  from  want  of  provisions  and  forage,  and  from  the  small 
hope  that  I  had  of  any  effective  assistance  from  Alexandria,  to  hold  my  position 
at  all  hazards  and  under  all  privations,  unless  overwhelmed  by  the  superior  forces 
of  the  enemy.  I  had  received  no  sort  of  information  of  any  troops  coming  for 
ward  to  my  assistance  since  the  24th,  and  did  not  expect  on  the  morning  of  the 
3Oth  that  any  assistance  would  reach  me  from  the  direction  of  Washington,  but  I 
determined  again  to  give  battle  to  the  enemy  on  the  3Oth,  and  at  least  to  lay  on 
such  blows  as  would  cripple  him  as  much  as  possible  and  delay  as  long  as  practi 
cable  any  farther  advance  toward  the  capital. 

Tower's  brigade,  of  Ricketts'  division,  was  pushed  forward  into  action  in  sup 
port  of  Reynolds'  division,  and  was  led  forward  in  person  by  General  Tower,  with 
conspicuous  skill  and  gallantry.  The  conduct  of  that  brigade,  in  plain  view  of  all 
the  forces  on  our  left,  was  especially  distinguished,  and  drew  forth  hearty  and  en 
thusiastic  cheers.  The  example  of  this  brigade  was  of  great  service,  and  infused 
new  spirit  into  all  the  troops  who  witnessed  their  intrepid  conduct. 


114  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    AltMY. 

1862.  I  well  understood,  as  does  every  military  man,  how  difficult  and 

how  thankless  was  the  duty  devolved  upon  me,  and  I  am  not  ashamed 
to  say  that  I  would  gladly  have  avoided  it  if  I  could  have  done  so  consistently  with 
my  sense  of  duty  to  the  Government.  To  confront  with  a  small  army  vastly 
superior  forces,  to  fight  battles  without  hope  of  victory,  but  only  to  gain  time  and 
to  embarrass  and  delay  the  forward  movements  of  the  enemy,  is  of  all  duties  the 
most  hazardous  and  the  most  difficult  which  can  be  imposed  upon  any  general  of 
an  army.  While  such  operations  require  the  highest  courage  and  endurance  on 
the  part  of  the  troops,  they  are,  perhaps,  unlikely  to  be  understood  or  appreciated, 
and  the  results,  however  successful,  have  little  in  them  to  attract  popular  attention 
and  applause. 

From  General  McDowell's  report  we  take  the  following  statement : 

Here  the  campaign  ended.  If  it  had  been  short  it  had  been  severe.  Beginning 
-with  the  retreat  from  Cedar  Mountains,  seldom  has  an  army  been  asked  to 
undergo  more  than  our  men  performed.  With  scarcely  a  half-day's  intermission 
the  Third  Corps  was  either  making  forced  marches,  many  times  through  the  night 
and  many  times  without  food,  etc.,  or  was  engaged  in  battle.  Their  fatigues 
were  most  severe  toward  the  last,  when,  on  account  of  the  movements  of  the 
enemy,  we  had  to  separate  from  our  supplies,  and  many  generals,  as  well  as 
privates,  had  no  food,  or  only  such  as  could  be  picked  up  in  the  orchards  or  corn 
fields  along  the  road.  In  all  this  the  patience  and  endurance  and  general  good 
conduct  of  the  men  were  admirable.  To  fight  and  retreat,  and  retreat  and  fight,  in 
the  face  of  a  superior  force  is  a  severe  test  of  soldiership.  This  they  did  for 
fifteen  days,  and  though  many  broke  down  under  the  fatigues  and  exposures  and 
many  straggled  from  the  ranks,  the  troops  as  a  general  thing  behaved  most  credit 
ably;  and  even  to  their  return  to  the  lines  in  front  of  this  place  [Washington], 
though  they  were  sad  at  seeing  their  numbers  so  much  diminished  by  hardships 
and  battles  which  had  availed  them  nothing,  and  were  tired  and  reduced  from 
marching  and  fasting,  they  preserved  their  discipline,  and  it  is  an  abuse  of 
words  to  say  they  were  either  demoralized  or  disorganized. 

The  services  of  Tower's  brigade  were  especially  arduous,  forming  the  rear 
guard  on  almost  every  occasion.  On  the  retreat  from  Cedar  Mountain,  from  the 
Rappahannock  station,  from  the  Waterloo  road,  and  from  Thoroughfare  Gap,  it 
had  an  undue  share  of  the  severities  of  this  campaign.  The  general  was  de 
tached  from  the  division  with  his  own  and  Hartsuff's  brigade,  and  posted  on 
Bald  Hill  Ridge,  where  he  remained  until  a  severe  wound  forced  him  to  retire. 

Brigadier-General  Hartsuff  was  so  ill  and  weak  from  overwork  as  to  have  to 
move  from  place  to  place  in  an  ambulance.  He  had  rendered  valuable  service 
both  at  Cedar  Mountain  and  at  Rappahannock  station,  where  he  occupied  the 
advanced  position  beyond  the  river.  He  would  not  leave  his  brigade,  though 
unable  to  get  on  his  horse,  and  to  save  his  life  I  was  obliged  to  interfere  and  have 
him  quit  us  at  Warrenton,  and  thus  lost  him  in  the  battles  which  followed. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  115 

l862-  There    are  few  spectacles   in    this  life  of  ours  more 

hideous    than  a   battlefield    immediately  after   a  battle. 
The  following  is  by  an  eye-witness  of  the  scenes  depicted  : 

"  The  battle  of  Manassas,  or  Second  Bull  Run,  as  it  has  also  been 
called,  was  one  of  the  great  disasters  of  the  war,  and  resulted  in 
losses  to  the  Union  Army  of  eight  hundred  killed,  four  thousand 
wounded,  and  three  thousand  missing  ;  the  Confederate  loss  being 
seven  hundred  killed,  three  thousand  wounded,  and  the  missing 
unknown.  The  battlefield  remained  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  so 
that  access  to  it  could  not  be  gained  except  by  the  protecting  influence 
of  a  flag  of  truce.  The  attempts  that  were  made  by  the  Govern 
ment  did  not  reach  that  part  of  the  field  where  the  Thirteenth  fought 
until  seven  days  had  elapsed.  Ordinarily  the  wounded  would  have 
been  taken  to  rebel  prisons,  but  in  this  instance  the  enemy  needed 
all  its  means  of  transportation  for  food,  ammunition,  etc.,  so  they 
escaped  that  misery,  if  no  other.  The  battle  occurred  on  Saturday, 
and  that  night  and  all  day  Sunday  it  rained  hard.  The  retreating 
army  was  closely  followed  by  the  enemy,  who  filled  the  air  with  shouts 
of  victory.  The  roar  of  artillery,  the  firing  of  musketry,  and  the 
noise  and  uproar  of  an  advancing  army  was  followed  by  a  depressing 
stillness,  interrupted  only  by  the  groans  of  the  wounded,  many  of 
whom  barely  escaped  being  trampled  to  death.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  the  rumbling  sound  of  thunder  could  be  heard  in  the 
distance,  and  by  dark  the  rain  poured  down  like  a  deluge.  The 
thunder  was  terrific.  Crash  followed  crash  with  such  frequency  that 
it  seemed  as  if  a  real  battle  was  going  on  in  the  sky.  On  Monday 
morning  it  cleared  away,  and  until  the  following  Saturday  the  weather 
was  bright  and  clear.  During  the  day,  under  the  influence  of  the 
warm  rays  of  the  sun,  sleep  would  come  ;  but  when  the  sun  had 
disappeared  and  darkness  followed,  the  air  became  cool,  as  it 
generally  does  the  first  week  in  September,  and  one's  teeth  would 
chatter  chatter  the  whole  night  long,  making  sleep  impossible. 
Shaking  with  the  cold,  enduring  the  agony  of  pain  from  undressed 
wounds  and  the  pangs  of  hunger,  it  seemed  as  though  the  nights 
would  never  end.  A  good  many  men  pegged  out  under  this  combi 
nation  who  might  have  lived,  possibly,  had  they  been  removed  to 


116  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  hospitals  early  in  the  week.  By  the  fourth  day  the  stench 

on  the  field,  from  decaying  bodies,  was  almost  unbearable. 
In  such  a  situation  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  men  became  irri 
table  and  resented  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  their  comrades  to  cheer 
them  with  words  of  hope  or  encouragement. 

"  Men  gathered  together  in  groups  and  shared  their  scanty  rations 
with  those  who  had  none,  and  by  the  strictest  economy  were  able  to 
make  them  last  until  Monday  morning,  from  which  time  until  Friday 
night  they  had  nothing  to  eat. 

"  There  is  one  instance  that  deserves  to  be  recorded,  not  only  for 
the  exhibition  of  devotion  to  the  Union  cause,  but  for  the  tender 
feeling  that  prompted  so  kind  an  act.  On  Thursday  afternoon  an 
old  man,  not  far  from  sixty  years  of  age,  with  a  bag  on  his  shoulders, 
was  seen  prowling  about  the  field  apparently  for  the  purposes  of  gain, 
as  he  was  seen  frequently  to  bend  his  body  as  if  engaged  in  searching 
the  dead.  Presently  it  was  discovered  that  no  such  motive  prompted 
his  action,  inasmuch  as  his  bag  was  filled  with  apples  and  biscuits 
which  he  was  distributing  to  men  on  the  field,  giving  one  to  each, 
according  to  choice,  that  as  many  as  possible  might  have  even  a 
mouthful.  To  each  and  every  one  visited  he  proffered  a  kind  and 
encouraging  word,  and  it  is  possible  that  many  a  fellow's  courage  was 
kept  alive  by  his  patriotic  undertaking.  He  had  twice  been  made  a 
prisoner  for  similar  acts  and  for  expressing  Union  sentiments. 

"  Each  day,  beginning  with  Monday,  the  wounded  and  dead  were 
searched  by  rebel  stragglers  on  the  way  to  rejoin  their  regiments. 
Though  there  was  nothing  to  gain  after  the  first  search,  it  was  car 
ried  on  just  the  same,  followed  by  curses  at  their  ill-luck.  These 
searches  were  generally  conducted  by  two  men,  one  standing  ready 
to  give  a  thrust  with  his  bayonet,  if  objection  was  made,  while  the 
other  would  hunt  for  what  his  imagination  led  him  to  think  he  could 
find.  There  were  other  men,  however,  who  came  on  to  the  field 
who  were  intelligent  and  cultured,  possessed  of  gentlemanly  instincts, 
and  who  expressed  regrets  that  they  were  unable  to  gratify  the  urgent 
demands  for  food.  All  seemed  convinced  that  the  stories  told  them 
about  grass  growing  in  the  streets  of  New  York  were  true,  and 
ridiculed  the  denials  of  such  silly  statements. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  117 

l862-  "  There  was  still  another  class  who  paid  them  a  visit, 

and  who  remarked  that  '  You  'uns  came  down  to  fight 
we  'uns,  but  we  'uns  licked  h — 1  out  of  you  'uns,'  which  remark 
was  painfully  true. 

"  'I'here  were  other  visitors  besides  soldiers.  The  turkey  buzzard 
made  it  his  home  as  soon  as  the  bodies  became  sufficiently  putrid  to 
satisfy  his  epicurean  tastes.  They  are  repulsive-looking  birds,  with 
eyes  as  bleared  as  an  old  soaker's,  and  a  neck  as  bare  of  feathers 
as  if  they  indulged  in  a  daily  shave.  When  they  were  completely 
gorged  with  food  they  would  settle  their  heads  down  close  to  their 
bodies,  concealing  their  naked  necks,  and  remain  torpid  until  nature 
had  completed  the  work  of  digestion,  when  they  would  wake  up  and 
go  at  it  again. 

"  Friday  afternoon  a  Confederate  officer,  with  assistants,  came  on  to 
the  field,  recorded  each  man's  name  and  regiment,  requiring  him  to 
swear  that  he  would  not  take  arms  against  the  Confederacy  until 
legally  notified  of  his  exchange,  —  a  useless  formality  in  this  case,  as 
it  is  hardly  likely  that  any  man  who  laid  on  that  field  ever  returned  to 
the  army.  After  he  had  performed  this  duty,  he  was  followed  by  a 
band  of  Union  surgeons,  who  were  allowed  to  come  on  to  the  field 
under  a  flag  of  truce  to  prepare  the  men  for  removal  on  the  following 
day.  After  their  wounds  were  dressed,  each  man  was  given  a  drink 
of  whiskey,  a  slice  of  raw  pork,  and  some  hard  bread.  Under  the 
circumstances,  perhaps  this  was  sufficient,  after  so  long  a  fast,  but 
men  are  sometimes  very  unreasonable,  as  the  wounded  may  have  ap 
peared  to  be  in  this  instance.  After  the  men  were  thus  attended  to, 
the  surgeons  sat  down  to  a  meal  composed  of  canned  food  of  various 
kinds,  bread,  and  hot  coffee,  making  a  very  unpleasant  contrast  to  the 
raw  pork.  The  hot  coffee  was  probably  "  the  straw  that  broke  the 
camel's  back, "inasmuch  as  a  draught  of  that  wholesome  and  agreeable 
beverage  would  have  given  more  satisfaction  than  the  food  dispensed. 
When  the  men  saw  this  lay-out,  they  indulged  in  remarks  of  a  highly 
seasoned  character,  which  were  deemed  unnecessary  and  out  of 
place  to  those  by  whom  they  were  overheard,  calling  forth  from  the 
listeners  some  emphatic  expressions  about  the  ingratitude  of  man. 

"  On  the  following  morning,  Saturday,  about  n  o'clock,  a  train  of 


118  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  vehicles  was  in  readiness, 

and  it  started  on  a  journey  of  thirty-eight  miles,  threading 
its  way  among  the  dead  horses,  and  men  swollen  beyond  recognition, 
the  shattered  guns  and  equipments,  broken  wheels  and  other  debris 
of  a  battlefield,  until  it  reached  Washington  about  3  o'clock  Sunday 
morning,  when  the  train  was  divided  and  the  men  distributed  among 
the  hospitals  of  that  city.  Whoever  has  seen  a  battlefield  will  allow 
that  no  words  of  description  can  give  an  adequate  idea  of  its  sicken 
ing  horror." 

According  to  the  official  report,  the  regiment  lost  twenty-one 
killed  and  one  hundred  and  eight  wounded.  Of  the  wounded,  four 
were  officers. 

An  idea  of  the  excitement  that  prevailed  in  Boston  and  elsewhere 
may  be  obtained  from  the  papers  of  that  date.  A  report  of  the 
disaster  was  received  as  the  people  were  on  the  way  to  church.  The 
feeling  occasioned  by  the  startling  news  of  the  battle  was  so  intense 
that  thoughts  of  worship  were  forgotten  in  the  excitement.  The  fol 
lowing  graphic  account  of  what  was  done  is  taken  from  one  of  the 
daily  papers  : 

The  grace  of  God  seemed  to  be  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  people  yesterday.  With 
the  news  of  the  bloody  battles  around  Centreville,  came  the  request  for  hospital 
stores.  Every  household,  it  appeared,  immediately  engaged  in  preparing  lint, 
towels,  sheets,  bandages,  or  in  packing  brandy,  wines,  jellies,  and  other  articles 
required  by  the  wounded  and  sick.  Intimation  was  given  at  the  church  doors  of 
what  was  needed,  and  pews  were  deserted  for  vestries,  where  good  was  being 
done  on  the  Sabbath  day.  By  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  all  the  express 
wagons  in  the  city  were  loaded  with  barrels,  boxes,  baskets,  filled  with  articles, 
and  it  seemed  as  though  enough  left  the  city  to  answer  the  emergency  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  money  offered  at  the  sanitary  headquarters  in  Tremont  street  amounted  to 
a  large  sum  in  the  aggregate, —  every  one  was  anxious  to  do  something  to  mitigate 
the  sufferings  of  the  disabled,  and  if  ever  a  whole  community  was  deeply,  intensely 
moved  by  heartfelt  sympathy,  it  was  the  people  of  Boston,  yesterday.  Let  not 
the  heavenly  sentiment  slumber,  but  be  quickened  by  constant  deeds  of  love,  duty, 
patriotism,  until  the  Angel  of  Peace  shall  spread  his  wings  over  our  whole  land. 

To  properly  picture  Tremont  Temple  as  it  appeared  yesterday  afternoon  would 
require  the  pen  of  the  poet,  the  eye  of  the  artist,  and  the  spirit  of  the  philosopher. 
Not  less  than  1,000  women  were  busily,  earnestly  at  work  in  the  manufacture  of 
bandages  and  lint.  Innumerable  sheets,  garments,  towels,  and  other  articles 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  119 

1862.  and  fabrics  were  torn  into  strips,  sewed  together,  and  then  rolled  up 

in  the  best  manner.  Upstairs  and  down,  in  the  gallery,  upon  the 
platform,  in  the  doorways,  in  the  aisles,  on  the  stairways,  from  top  to  bottom, 
were  these  ministering  angels  laboring  with  an  industry  and  zeal  worthy  of  the 
ennobling  cause.  It  was  a  glorious,  a  beautiful,  and  a  rare  spectacle.  From 
morn  until  dark  was  this  most  interesting  spectacle  prosecuted.  Men  were 
cutting  and  tearing  fabrics,  women  sewing  and  rolling  them,  boys  and  girls  were 
supplying  needles  and  thread  —  bandages  by  the  thousands,  lint  by  the  cart-load, 
were  in  this  manner  made  ready.  What  more  appropriate  labor  for  the  Sabbath ; 
and  in  what  place  more  tit  than  the  sanctuary  ? 

We  remained  in  Centreville  all  day  in  line-of-battle. 
Sunday,        During  the  day,  the  men  who  were  unable  to  keep  up 
August  31.    with  the   regiment,   when  we  marched  to  the  rear,  re 
joined  us. 

Band  mustered  out.  Something  has  already  been 
Monday,  said  in  these  pages  to  show  how  much  we  enjoyed  the 
Sept.  i.  presence  of  our  band.  It  was  one  of  the  best  in  the 
service,  and  afforded  us  daily  entertainment  that  was 
highly  appreciated.  Its  departure  left  a  vacancy  that  nothing  could 
fill. 

About  3  P.M.  we  marched  to  Chantilly,  where  the  enemy  had 
made  an  attack.  We  laid  in  line-of-battle  as  reserve,  but  did  no 
fighting.  While  in  this  position,  General  Ricketts  rode  up  and  an 
nounced  the  fact  that  General  McDowell  had  been  relieved  from  his 
command,  and  that  he  had  been  succeeded  by  General  Hooker.  The 
cheers  that  went  up  at  this  news  were  such  as  had  not  been  heard 
from  the  boys  for  many  a  day.  It  produced  a  cheerfulness  that  even 
the  thunder-storm,  which  wet  us  through  to  the  skin,  failed  to  affect. 
Thus  ended  our  service  under  General  McDowell,  about  whom 
General  McClellan  makes  the  following  statement  in  his  book  : 

[Jt-LY  30,  i86i.J 

At  this  period  I  committed  one  of  my  gravest  errors:  that  was  in  retaining 
General  McDowell  on  duty  with  the  troops  under  my  command.  I  knew  that  he 
had  been  a  close  student  of  military  affairs,  and  thought  he  possessed  sufficient 
ability  to  be  useful  in  a  subordinate  capacity.  Moreover,  I  pitied  him  extremely, 
and  thought  that  circumstances  had  as  much  to  do  with  his  failure  at  Bull  Run  as 
any  want  of  ability  and  energy  on  his  part.  I  knew  that  if  I  sent  him  away  he 
would  be  ruined  for  life,  and  desired  to  give  him  an  opportunity  to  retrieve  his 


120  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  military  reputation.     I  therefore  left  him  in  the  nominal  command 

on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  river,  until  the  order  forming  the  army  of 
the  Potomac  was  issued,  he  doing  some  little  bureau  work  and  retaining  a  large 
staff,  while  I  performed  the  real  military  labor  demanded  by  the  occasion.  I  was 
sadly  deceived.  He  never  appreciated  my  motives,  and  felt  no  gratitude  for  my 
forbearance  and  kindness.  Subsequent  events  proved  that,  although  in  some 
respects  a  very  good  bureau  officer  and  a  fair  disciplinarian  and  drill  officer  for  a 
school  of  instruction,  he  lacked  the  qualities  necessary  for  a  commander  in  the 
held. 

Good  judges,  long  ago,  decided  that  McDowell  was  a  faithful, 
competent,  and  loyal  general  officer,  McClellan's  opinion  to  the 
contrary  notwithstanding. 

Marched  to  Hall's  Hill,  about  five  miles  from  Wash- 
ay'       ington,  and  went  into  camp  on  elevated  ground,  from 

oCpt.  2* 

which  could  be  seen  the  Capitol. 

On  this  day  General  McClellan  was  put  in  command  of  the  forti 
fications  of  Washington  and  all  the  troops  for  the  defence  of  the 
capital. 

In  "  McClellan's  Own  Story  "  appears  the  following  account  of 
what  occurred  on  his  arrival  at  Upton's  Hill : 

A  regiment  of  cavalry,  marching  by  twos,  and  sandwiched  in  the  midst  of  which 
were  Pope  and  McDowell  with  their  staff  officers.  I  never  saw  a  more  helpless- 
looking  headquarters.  When  these  generals  rode  up  to  me  and  the  ordinary 
salutations  had  passed,  I  inquired  what  that  artillery  firing  was.  Pope  replied  that 
it  was  no  doubt  that  of  the  enemy  against  Sumner,  who  formed  the  rear  guard,  and 
was  to  march  by  the  Vienna  and  Langley  road.  He  also  intimated  that  Sumner  was 
probably  in  a  dilemma.  He  could  give  no  information  of  any  importance  in  re 
lation  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  different  corps,  except  in  a  most  indefinite  way; 
had  evidently  not  troubled  his  head  in  the  slightest  about  the  movements  of  his 
army  in  retreat,  and  had  coolly  preceded  the  troops,  leaving  them  to  get  out  of 
the  scrape  as  best  they  could. 

He  and  McDowell  both  asked  my  permission  to  go  to  Washington,  to  which  I 
assented,  remarking  at  the  same  time  that  /was  going  to  that  artillery  firing. 

He  further  says  that 

Nothing  but  a  desire  to  do  my  duty  could  have  induced  me  to  accept  the  com 
mand  under  such  circumstances.  Not  feeling  sure  that  I  could  do  anything,  I  felt 
that  under  the  circumstance,  no  one  else  could  save  the  country,  and  I  have  not 
shrunk  from  the  terrible  task.  McDowell's  own  men  would  have  killed  him  had 
he  made  his  appearance  among  them;  even  his  own  staff  did  not  dare  to  go 


THIRTEENTH    J/.1S.S.     VOLS.  121 

1862.  among  his  men.     I  can   afford  to  forgive  and  forget  him.     I   have 

not  seen  them  since;  I  hope  never  to  lay  eyes  on  them  again. 
Between  them  they  are  responsible  for  the  lives  of  many  of  my  best  and  bravest 
men.  They  have  done  all  they  could  (unintentionally,  I  hope)  to  ruin  and  de 
stroy  the  country. 

A  good  deal  was  said  during  the  war  about  soldiers  shooting  their 
officers.  Such  kind  of  talk  was  unknown  in  our  regiment.  So  far 
as  our  brigade  is  concerned  General  McDowell  would  have  been  as 
safe  within  its  lines  as  in  his  own  home.  During  the  entire  war  there 
was  not  another  instance  of  an  officer  being  more  thoroughly  disliked 
by  his  men  than  was  McDowell  by  his  corps.  The  mere  mention  of 
his  name  generally  excited  the  strongest  execrations,  and  yet  it  has 
been  proven  that  he  was  one  of  the  best  officers  in  the  army.  It  is 
doubtful  if  any  officer  who  served  during  those  four  years  could  have 
shown  a  finer  record  of  exemplary  conduct  or  subordination  as  an 
officer.  It  is  difficult  after  thirty  years  to  recall  an  excuse  for  our 
feelings  toward  him.  We  were  as  thoughtless  in  our  dislike  of  him 
as  we  were  in  our  admiration  of  McClellan.  The  last  part  of  our 
service  under  McDowell  was  very  hard,  and  the  rapidity  and  fre 
quency  of  our  movements  made  it  difficult  for  wagons  to  reach  us 
with  rations,  so  that  we  often  were  very  short.  Every  time  a  dis 
agreeable  order  was  received  it  was  placed  to  his  credit.  If  rations 
were  scanty,  or  marches  long,  McDowell  was  the  cause,  and  so,  little 
by  little,  we  came  to  hate  the  sight  of  him.  To  transfer  our  loyalty 
and  affection  from  Banks,  with  whom  we  had  been  since  our  entry 
into  service,  to  McDowell,  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  do,  particularly 
as  our  admiration  for  General  Banks  was  very  strong.  McDowell 
had  a  fiery  temper  that  occasionally  found  utterance.  His  exhi 
bitions  of  irritability  were  related  by  the  observers,  and  in  passing 
from  mouth  to  mouth  received  the  customary  exaggeration  and  polish 
that  such  stories  generally  get,  and  no  doubt  furnished  a  ground 
work  for  the  superstructure  of  ill-will  that  we  reared  to  his  credit. 
Since  his  death  the  Government  has  published  the  War  Records,  and 
the  story  of  this  campaign  with  the  orders  and  dispatches  sent  at 
the  time  are  open  to  us  for  our  inspection  and  information.  It  is 
impossible  to  read  these  records,  even  with  our  prejudices  excited  as 


122  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  they  were  in  1862,  without  feeling  a  pang  of  regret  that 

we  should  have  been  so  unreasonable. 

( )n  the  30th  of  August  we  were  witnesses  to  an  exhibition  of  his 
bravery  that  removed,  from  our  minds  at  least,  the  charge  that  had 
been  made  by  the  newspapers,  as  well  as  his  men,  that  he  was  a 
coward  and  a  traitor.  After  he  was  relieved  of  his  command  he 
demanded  to  be  heard  before  a  Court  of  Inquiry,  which  was  duly 
appointed  and  convened  for  the  purpose. 

The  court  held  its  sessions  for  more  than  sixty  days  in  readiness 
to  receive  from  his  most  vindictive  enemy  charges  or  information 
that  could  be  proved.  One  of  the  charges  made  against  him  was 
drunkenness,  and  it  was  shown  by  his  own  statement  under  oath, 
and  by  ample  corroborating  evidence,  that  he  had  never  drank  a 
drop  of  liquor  in  his  life.  As  we  read  page  after  page  of  this 
record  our  admiration  is  excited  at  his  patient,  manly  bearing,  and 
the  ease  with  which  he  disproved  the  assertions  of  his  enemies.  The 
testimony  of  General  Hartsuff  is  particularly  interesting,  as  showing 
very  vividly  and  very  truthfully  the  state  of  our  feelings  in  the  Front 
Royal  and  Bull  Run  campaigns  : 

Question  by  General  AfcDowell.  What  command  have  you  held  under  Gen 
eral  McDowell?  When  did  you  come  under  his  command?  In  what  condition 
was  the  brigade  when  you  first  joined  it? 

Answer.  I  commanded  a  brigade  under  General  McDowell.  I  came  under 
his  command  on  the  first  of  last  May.  The  general  condition  of*  the  brigade  was 
good. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  How  was  it  as  to  means  of  transportation 
and  camp  equipage  when  you  joined  it? 

Answer.  The  means  of  transportation  and  the  amount  of  camp  equipage 
were  very  abundant;  unusually  so. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  What  reduction  was  made  in  the  means  of 
transportation  and  in  the  camp  equipage  on  your  coming  under  General  McDow 
ell's  immediate  command  at  Fredericksburg? 

Answer.  The  number  of  wagons  to  each  regiment  was  reduced  to  seven  or 
eight,  I  think.  The  Sibley  tents,  with  which  the  command  was  furnished,  were 
changed  to  shelter- tents;  officers'  baggage  \\as  necessarily  considerably  reduced, 
and  the  baggage  of  company  messes,  and  baggage  generally  of  officers  and  men. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  Do  you  know  if  the  reduction  of  means  of 
transportation  and  camp  equipage  was  the  cause  of  any  feeling  or  the  cause  of 
any  remark  in  the  brigade? 


TUllt'l'KKXTIl    MASS.     VOLS.  123 

1862.  Answer,  It  was  the  cause  of  considerable  feeling  and  many  re 

marks  of  ill-will  toward  General  McDowell  by  officers  and  men.  I 
did  not  hear  the  remarks  of  the  men,  hut  am  satisfied  remarks  of  the  kind  were 
made. 

Question  by  General  McDoivell.  State,  if  you  know,  of  another  cause  of  ill- 
feeling  toward  General  McDowell  or  dissatisfaction  with  him  in  that  brigade,  con 
nected  with  their  having  been  under  another  department  commander,  where  these 
restrictions  had  not  been  made. 

Answer.  Three  of  the  four  regiments  composing  my  brigade  had  been  under 
the  command  of  General  Banks.  The  brigade  was,  as  they  believed,  temporarily 
attached  to  General  McDowell's  command.  They  were  very  desirous  of  getting 
back  under  General  Banks'  command,  believing  the  amount  of  transportation 
they  brought  to  General  McDowell's  command  would  be  restored  to  them,  and 
with  it  their  baggage  and  comforts. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  Was  anything  done  at  Front  Royal  or  at 
Warren  ton  to  lead  these  regiments  to  continue  in  this  belief  that  they  would  con 
tinue  under  General  McDowell? 

Answer.  At  Front  Royal  some  officers  of  Massachusetts  regiments  visited 
General  Banks,  who  was  then  at  Middletown,  and  brought  from  him  the  assur 
ance  that  the  brigade  would  soon  again  be  under  his  command.  At  Warrenton, 
in  July  last,  General  Banks  visited  the  command  one  evening  and  spoke  to  the 
regiments  separately,  I  believe,  telling  them,  as  I  heard,  that  they  would  soon  be 
again  under  his  command;  that  he  was  making  efforts  to  get  them  back.  I  did 
not  hear  him  myself. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  forced  march, 
as  to  severity,  of  the  brigade  from  Alexandria  to  Front  Royal? 

Answer.  The  weather  at  that  time  was  very  hot,  and  the  march,  considering 
the  weather,  was  made  as  quickly  as  troops  could  perform  it  and  be  at  all  efficient 
at  the  end  of  the  march. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  Was  that  march  the  cause  of  complaint,  so 
far  as  you  know,  in  the  brigade? 

Answer.  It  was  the  cause  of  complaint,  and  I  saw  afterward  letters  written 
by  the  officers  of  the  brigade  and  published  in  the  Boston  newspapers,  containing 
severe  strictures  on  General  McDowell  as  the  author  of  suffering  on  the  marches. 
The  letter  was  filled  with  falsehoods. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  Was  there  any  complaint  that  the  men  were 
forced  over  the  Blue  Ridge  in  the  rain  and  without  tents  or  shelter? 

Answer.     There  was  such  complaint. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  Where  did  the  brigade  stop  and  how  were 
they  occupied  the  night  before  they  reached  Front  Royal? 

Answer.  They  stopped  between  two  and  three  miles  of  the  town  of  Front 
Royal,  bivouacked  in  some  pine  bushes  by  the  roadside. 

Question  by  General  McDowell.     What  kind  of  weather  was  it  that  night? 


124  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Answer.  There  was  a  severe  rain-storm  during  the  whole  of 

the  night. 

Question  by  the  Court.  Do  you  know  any  matter  or  thing  tending  to  show 
that  General  McDowell  was  treacherous,  incompetent,  unfaithful,  or  otherwise 
disqualified  for  the  command  of  a  division,  corps,  or  department ;  and  if  you  do, 
state  what  you  know  as  fully  as  though  you  were  specifically  interrogated  in 
respect  thereto  ? 

Answer.     I  do  not  know  any  such  cause. 

As  the  Thirteenth  was  in  Ricketts'  division  it  will  be  interesting  to 
read  the  following  extract  of  the  testimony  of  Brig. -Gen.  James 
B.  Ricketts: 

Question  by  the  Court.  At  what  time  did  you  reach  Thoroughfare  (jap,  on  the 
morning  of  that  day,  with  your  division? 

Answer,  I  don't  know  the  time  of  day.  I  do  not  know  that  it  was  in  the 
morning;  I  think  it  was  in  the  afternoon. 

Question  by  the  Court.  Had  you  any  orders  from  General  McDowell  in  respect 
to  your  movements  that  dav?  If  so,  how  were  they  communicated,  and  when, 
and  what  were  they?  State  fully  and  particularly. 

Answer.  I  received  an  order  on  that  day  to  send  a  brigade  and  a  battery  of 
artillery  to  support  Colonel  Wynclam  at  Thoroughfare  Gap,  and  to  push  on  to  the 
same  place  with  the  rest  of  my  division.  I  do  not  know  what  hour  of  the  day  the 
order  was  received,  but  should  judge  some  time  in  the  forenoon.  1  was  at  the 
time  with  my  division  on  the  road  from  Buckland  Mills  to  Gainesville,  and  marched 
directly  across  the  country  by  Hay  Market.  This  order  was  brought  to  me  by 
Captain  Wadsworth,  of  General  McDowell's  staff,  and  was  in  writing.  Some 
where  between  Hay  Market  and  Thoroughfare  Gap  I  saw  Captain  Leski,  of 
General  McDowell's  staff,  who  gave  directions  to  go  to  Thoroughfare  Gap;  he 
gave  pretty  much  the  same  order,  to  go  there  and  support  Colonel  Wyndam  at 
the  Gap.  That  is  all  I  recollect. 

Question  by  the  Court.  Did  you  have  any  engagement  with  the  enemy  at  the 
Gap;  and  if  so,  at  what  time? 

Answer.  I  had  an  engagement  in  the  afternoon  of  the  28th,  which  continued 
until  dark. 

Question  by  the  Court.  At  what  time  did  you  retire  from  the  Gap,  and  where 
did  you  go? 

Answer.  I  retired  from  the  Gap  just  after  dark  on  the  evening  of  the  28th, 
and  rested  my  division  that  night  between  Hay  Market  and  Gainesville.  I  was 
myself  at  Gainesville. 

Question  by  the  Court.  Where  did  you  move  when  you  left  Hay  Market  and 
Gainesville,  and  at  what  time  did  you  start? 

Answer.  I  moved  toward  Manassas,  and  started  very  early  in  the  morning  of 
the  29th,  after  break  of  day. 


THIKTEEXTH    MASS.     VOLS.  125 

1862.  Question  by  the  Court.  How  far  past  Manassas  did  you  go,  and 

where? 

Answer.  I  was  conducted  by  a  guide  on  the  Sudley  Springs  road,  and  remained 
near  the  road,  not  far  from  the  Henry  house,  where  the  headquarters  of  my  division 
remained  for  the  night. 

Question  by  the  Court.  What  orders  or  occasion  had  you  to  go  from  Thorough 
fare  Gap  to  the  place  referred  to  by  you,  between  Gainesville  and  Manassas? 

Answer.  I  left  Thoroughfare  Gap  because  the  enemy  was  turning  the  right  and 
left  flank.  I  left  Gainesville  because  General  King  sent  me  word  that  he  would 
retire  toward  Manassas;  that  was  all. 

Question  by  tlie  Court.  Did  any  communication  other  than  the  one  referred  to 
in  your  last  answer  pass  between  you  and  General  King  during  the  2Sth  August 
and  up  to  the  time  that  you  moved  from  Gainesville  on  the  morning  of  the  29th? 
And,  if  so,  state  what  they  were. 

Answer.  I  had  two  communications  from  General  King;  the  first  stating  that 
he  had  an  engagement  with  the  enemy  and  had  held  his  ground ;  the  other 
representing  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  in  front  of  him,  and  that  he  would  retire 
toward  Manassas.  In  answer  to  the  last  I  told  him  that  I  would  retire  from  my 
position.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  others. 

Question  by  the  Court.  Why  did  not  you  await  orders  from  General  McDowell 
to  move  from  Gainesville  on  the  morning  of  the  291)1  August? 

Answer.  When  General  King  sent  me  word  that  he  would  retire,  I  then  knew 
I  would  be  unsupported. 

On  the  1 6th  of  January  the  examination  of  General  Ricketts  was 
continued  as  follows  by  (ieneral  McDowell : 

Question  by  General  McDowell.  What  o'clock  on  the  28th  of  August  were 
you  ordered  to  march  from  your  bivouac  beyond  Buckland  Mills? 

Answer.     I  was  ordered  to  march  at  2  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Question  bv  General  McDowell.  How  far  did  you  march  on  the  Warrcnton 
turnpike  before  you  turned  off  the  road  to  go  by  Hay  Market  under  the  order 
given  you  by  Capt.  Wadsworth  ? 

Answer.  I  had  crossed  the  bridge  at  Broad  Run,  and  was  but  a  very  short  dis 
tance  from  it. 

Question  by  General  McD<nvdl,  Do  you  know  any  cause  of  delay  in  getting 
forward  from  your  bivouac  to  the  place  where  you  turned  off;  were  there  any 
obstructions  in  the  road  ? 

Answer.  The  road  was  very  much  encumbered  by  wagons.  I  saw  a  very 
large  number  in  the  vicinity  of  this  stream  —  Broad  Run. 

The  following  is  taken  from  General  Longstreet's  report  of  his 
arrival  at  Thoroughfare  Gap  : 


126  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  The  head  of  my  column  reached  Thoroughfare  Gap  about  three 

P.M.,  on  the  28th.  A  small  party  of  infantry  was  sent  into  the 
mountain  to  reconnoitre.  Passing  through  the  Gap,  Colonel  Beck,  of  the  Ninth 
Georgia  Regiment,  met  the  enemy,  hut  was  obliged  to  retire  before  a  greatly 
superior  force.  The  enemy  held  a  strong  position  on  the  opposite  gorge  and  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  his  sharpshooters  in  position  on  the  mountain.  Brig.-Gen.  D.  R. 
Jones  advanced  two  of  his  brigades  rapidly,  and  soon  drove  the  enemy  from  his 
position  on  the  mountain.  Brig.-Gen.  Hood,  with  his  own  and  General  Whiting's 
brigade,  was  ordered  by  a  foot-path  over  the  mountain  to  turn  the  enemy's  right, 
and  Brig.-Gen.  Wilcox,  with  his  own  and  Brig.-Gens.  Featherstone's  and  Pryor's 
brigades,  was  ordered  through  Hopevvell  Gap,  three  miles  to  our  left,  to  turn  the 
right  and  attack  the  enemy  in  the  rear.  The  enemy  made  his  attack  upon  Jones> 
however,  before  these  troops  could  get  into  their  positions,  and  after  being  repulsed 
with  severe  loss,  commenced  his  retreat  just  before  night. 

On  reading  the  foregoing  statements,  a  discrepancy  as  to  the 
hour  of  our  retiring  will  be  noticed  in  the  statements  of  Generals 
Ricketts  and  Longstreet.  Though  of  no  great  consequence  to  our 
narrative,  the  fact  prompts  us  to  say  that  we  believe  Longstreet's 
statement  to  be  the  correct  one,  so  far  as  our  brigade  was  concerned. 

In  the  long  report  made  by  the  court,  in  rendering  its  decision 
exonerating  General  McDowell,  occurs  the  following  tribute  to  his 
character,  and  we  gladly  give  it  publication  : 

When  General  Pope  assumed  command  of  the  Army  of  Virginia,  on  the  26th  of 
June,  1862,  although  in  order  of  rank  he  was  below  General  McDowell,  he  re 
ceived  from  that  officer  the  most  valuable  and  cordial  cooperation  and  assistance. 

The  court  dwell  with  satisfaction  on  these  fine  qualities  of  military  subordination 
frequently  exemplified  by  General  McDowell  under  circumstances  trying  to  the 
pride  and  emulation  of  a  general  officer. 

The  following  is  taken  from  a  copy  of  the  "  Boston  Evening 
Transcript,"  published  in  May,  1870: 

General  Irvin  McDowell  was,  at  the  beginning  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
in  consequence  of  the  disaster  of  the  first  Bull  Run,  one  of  the  best  abused  men 
in  the  country.  His  taken-for-granted  military  blunders  and  personal  character 
were  condemned  in  unqualified  terms ;  and  except  with  a  few,  his  name  was 
synonymous  with  imbecility  and  unworthiness.  Perhaps  there  never  was  an  in 
stance  of  grosser  injustice  done  to  a  faithful  soldier,  devoted  patriot,  and  courteous 
.high-toned  gentleman,  than  was  done  to  one  whose  misfortune  it  was  to  be  com 
pelled  to  command  undisciplined  and  inexperienced  troops  under  the  direction  of 
a  blind,  excited,  and  exacting  public  sentiment.  But  his  subsequent  record  and 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  127 

1862.  his   patient   waiting  for    time  to   bring  the  rightful  judgment  and 

justification  are  having  their  reward.  The  "  Chicago  Tribune,"  as 
copied  by  the  "  Army  and  Navy  Journal,"  may  exaggerate  the  probable  conse 
quences  of  this  reaction  in  favor  of  the  maligned,  misrepresented,  and  misunderstood 
officer;  but  to  a  very  large  extent  its  statements  and  decision  will  now  be  cor 
dially  indorsed  as  the  truth.  Many  will  read  the  following  paragraph  from  the 
"Tribune's"  vindication  with  pleasure: 

"  Last  winter  when  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  met  at  Philadelphia,  and  McDowell 
sat  quietly  among  them,  thinking  himself  an  unsuccessful  man,  and  one  set  down 
among  the  failures  of  the  war,  a  quiet  young  officer  arose  with  his  glass  in  his 
hand,  and  proposed  the  health  of  General  McDowell.  As  he  did  so  he  made  a 
stammering  effort  to  say  that  since  the  war  had  passed  by,  and  we  had  come  to 
know  man  for  man  and  man  to  man,  we  were  equal  to  the  appreciation  of  the 
commander  of  the  first  Army  of  the  Potomac.  At  once  the  whole  table  rattled 
with  bravos  and  hearty  cheers,  and  amidst  more  applause  than  had  greeted  the 
name  of  any  man  that  night,  McDowell  rose,  profoundly  moved,  the  most  patient 
and  heroic  martyr  of  the  war,  and  he  said,  as  he  had  always  said,  that  he  knew 
the  justice  of  his  countrymen  would  come  at  last;  that  he  had  expected  it  long 
before,  but  that  he  had  not  complained,  because  he  knew  that  it  would  come;  and 
then  his  cold,  regular  army  nature  melting  down  to  the  occasion,  he  gave  a  little 
burst  of  egotism,  which  was  truer  than  tears,  because  it  was  both  the  occasion 
and  himself.  His  great  element  of  character  was  resignation,  never  mutinying, 
never  abusing  any  man  behind  his  back,  holding  to  the  cause  at  the  expense  of 
frightful  calumnies  heaped  upon  himself;  and  it  is  probable  that  his  fame  will 
grow  henceforward  as  roundly  as,  during  the  war,  it  was  suddenly  obscured." 

What  we  have  quoted  is  sufficient  to  show  how  unjust  we  were  to 
a  gallant  officer,  ami  we  freely  confess  ourselves  in  the  wrong.  It 
would  have  been  much  better  on  our  part  to  have  made  this  avowal 
during  his  lifetime  ;  but  the  opportunity  never  seemed  at  hand  when 
we  could  do  it  gracefully,  and  now  the  time  is  past  when  it  can  afford 
him  any  gratification ;  but,  nevertheless,  we  owe  it  to  his  memory,  as 
well  as  to  ourselves,  to  make  this  acknowledgment.  We  were  young, 
at  an  age  when  one's  judgment  is  more  often  influenced  by  what 
affects  one's  personal  welfare  or  comfort,  than  a  sober  consideration 
of  facts.  Our  service  under  him  began  at  a  time  when  the  Government 
found  it  necessary  to  curtail  the  equipment  of  the  army,  and  restrict 
it  in  many  ways,  still  retaining  what  in  the  years  1863-4  would  have 
been  considered  luxuries.  Our  transfer  from  the  command  of 
General  Banks,  under  whom  our  service  had  been  particularly 


128  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  pleasant,  was  not  in  accordance  with  our  wishes,  and  we 

were  in  daily  expectation  of  returning  to  his  corps.  "  Hope 
deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick,"  was  true  in  our  case.  It  seemed 
like  disloyalty,  after  nine  months'  service  under  Banks,  to  suddenly 
transfer  our  soldierly  regard  to  a  stranger  under  whom  we  expected  to 
serve  but  a  short  time.  Therefore,  every  disagreeable  order  or  cur 
tailment  was  looked  upon  as  something  peculiar  to  McDowell,  which 
we  would  escape  on  returning  to  Banks.  McDowell  had  none  of  those 
traits  of  personal  magnetism  which  have  often  made  inferior  generals 
very  popular  with  the  rank  and  file.  His  temper,  which  had  been 
exhibited  on  several  trying  occasions,  was  exaggerated  by  the  state 
ments  of  those  who  were  witnesses  to  it,  while  omitting  the  qualifying 
circumstances  of  the  occasion.  The  newspapers  that  we  received 
held  him  up  to  public  contempt,  and  were  filled  with  tales  of  his 
habits  and  the  belief  that  he  was  a  traitor,  etc.,  all  of  which  affected 
our  susceptible  minds,  and  aggravated  the  annoyance  we  felt  at  re 
maining  under  his  command.  It  seems  as  though  these  impressions 
might  have  been  corrected  by  just  a  little  effort  on  his  part,  though 
it  doesn't  appear  that  he  took  the  first  step  toward  counteracting  the 
ill-will  that  was  bestowed  upon  him. 

We  were  still  at  Hall's  Hill.     As  this  was  the  first  field 
Wednesday,  .  .  ,  .      ,     ,  ... 

on  which  we  had  slept  two  nights  in  succession  for  two 
Sept.  3.  10 

weeks,  an  opportunity  was  afforded  us  to  make  up  some 
of  our  lost  sleep,  which  we  took  advantage  of  by  day  as  well  as  night. 
Still  another  day  of  quietude,  except  to  those  unhappy 
Thursday,    creatures  who  had  to  go  on  guard.     The  wagons  which 
Sept.  4.         We  had  not  seen  since  the  i8th  of  August,  returned  to 
day.     While  this  brought  little  comfort  to  the  rank  and 
file,  it  meant  a  good  deal  to  the  officers,  who  had  been  deprived  of 
any  shelter  but  blankets  during  the  interim.     It  is  no  wonder,  there 
fore,  that  they  were  happy  at  the  sight  of  their  tents  and  the  oppor 
tunity  of  changing  their  clothing. 

The  sutler  arrived  with  quantities    of  canned    food, 

Friday,          fruits,  and  other  luxuries.     As  our  credit  was  still  good 

Sept.  5.         with  the  sutler,  we  made  the  most  of  it,  and  many  a 

"  belly  was  with  fat  capon  lined."     The  sutler  and  the 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  129 

1862.  quartermaster  succeeded  in  raising  our  spirits  to  a  high 

state  of  buoyancy. 

About  8  P.M.  we  started  on  a  long,  all-night  march, 

Saturday, 

Sept.  6.         going   through    Georgetown    and    Washington,    without 
halting,  not  even  paying  our  respects  to  the  President, 
who  had  done  the  honor  of  calling  on  us  at  Falmouth. 

In  a  letter  written  by  General  McClellan,  under  date  of  Septem 
ber  5,  he  makes  the  following  statement : 

It  makes  my  heart  bleed  to  see  the  poor,  shattered  remnants  of  my  noble 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  Poor  fellows !  and  to  see  how  they  love  me  even  now. 
I  hear  them  calling  out  to  me,  as  I  ride  among  them,  "  George,  don't  leave  us 
again  !  "  "They  shan't  take  you  away  from  us  again,"  etc. 

How  sweet !  and  to  think  this  man  marched  us  on  Sundays. 
On  the  6th  of  September  the  Secretary  of  War  issued  an  order, 
as  follows  : 

Major-General  McDowell,  at  his  own  request,  is  hereby  relieved  from  the 
command  of  the  Third  Army  Corps,  and  Major-General  Reno  is,  by  direction  of 
the  President,  assigned  to  the  command. 

On  the  same  day  General  McClellan   issued  the  following  order: 

Maj.-Gen.  Joseph  Hooker  is  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Third  Corps, 
Army  of  Virginia,  lately  commanded  by  Major-General  McDowell.  He  will 
assume  command  immediately. 

The  following  orders  of  the  same  date  explain  themselves  : 

WASHINGTON,  Sept.  6,  1862,  4.05  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  McDo\vi-:u., 

Or  Senior  Officer  Commanding  First  Army  Corps,  Upton's  Hill : 
General  McClellan  directs  that  you  move  your  corps  at  once  to  this  side  of  the 
river,  by  the  Long  and  Aqueduct    bridges,  taking   the  Seventh-street  road  to 
Leesborough,  or  vicinity.     It  is  important  that  this  movement  be  made  promptly. 
(Signed)  A.  V.  COLBURN, 

Assistant  Adjutant- General. 

The  designation  First  Corps  in  the  above  address  must  have  been 
an  error. 


130  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  CORPS, 

NEAR  ARLINGTON  HOUSE,  Sept.  6,  1862,  5.30  P.M. 
COLONEL  COLBURN,  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Washington: 

I  have  received  your  telegram,  directed  to  Upton's  Hill,  ordering  the  movement 
of  the  Third  Corps  to  Leesborough.  As  I  am  informed  at  the  War  Department 
that  I  am  relieved  from  the  command  of  this  corps,  I  have  turned  over  the  order 
to  the  second  in  command,  General  Ricketts. 

(Signed)  IRVIN  McDOWELL, 

Major-  General. 

SEPT.  6,  1862,  7.50  P.M. 
BRIG. -GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS,  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Washington: 

Shall  the  divisions  of  the  Third  Corps,  ordered  to  move  to  Leesborough,  quit  the 
forts  at  Upton's  Hill  before  they  are  dismantled  and  the  ammunition  removed? 
Will  you  please  give  the  order  direct,  as  I  move  my  headquarters  to  Washington. 
(Signed)  IRVIN  McDOWELL, 

Major-  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY,  Sept.  6,  1862. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MCDOWELL,  Arlington  : 

General  Porter  has  been  instructed  to  relieve  the  pickets  of  the  Third  Corps 
immediately,  and  to  remove  the  heavy  guns  from  Upton's  Hill  during  the  night, 
leaving  an  advance  guard  in  the  works  there  to  hold  it  against  an  attack  of  pickets 
of  inferior  force. 

(Signed)  S.  WILLIAMS, 

Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 

SPECIAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  224.         j     WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

WASHINGTON,  Sept.  6,  1862. 

XIII.  Major-General  McDowell,  at  his  own  request,  is  hereby  relieved  from 
the  command  of  the  Third  Army  Corps,  and  Major-General  Reno  is,  by  direction 
of  the  President,  assigned  to  the  command. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 

E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 
SPECIAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  3.  /  HEADQUARTERS,  WASHINGTON,  Sept.  6,  1862. 

XVII.  Major-General  Hooker  is  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Third  Corps, 
Army  of  Virginia,  lately  commanded  by  Major-General  McDowell.  He  will 
assume  command  immediately. 

By  command  of  Major-General  McClellan. 

S.    WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  131 


CHAPTER   VII. 

1862.  AT    daylight    we    halted,    having    marched    all    night. 

Sunday,         ^ye  were  about  ten  mjies  from  Washington  on  the  Balti 
more  road.     About  9  A.M.  we  resumed  our  march,  and 
after  tramping  five  miles  went  into  camp. 

We  were  back  in  Maryland,  which  we  left  six  months  before. 
While  the  progress  we  had  made  toward  crushing  the  rebellion  was 
not  very  flattering,  it  afforded  us  pleasure  to  be  again  marching 
among  loyal  people  who  had  an  interest  in  our  welfare. 

We  were  now  about  half-way  between  Washington  and 

Monday,        Darnestown,  the  place  where  we  were  encamped  a  year 

Sept.  8.         ago.      Then  we  were  a  thousand  strong ;  but  now  we 

had  dwindled  to  half  that  number.     Some  were  killed, 

and  a  good  many  in  hospitals,  wounded  or  sick,  never  to  return. 

Yesterday  at  4.15  P.M.  we  marched  to  Mechanicsville, 
Wednesday,  about  eight  miles,  where  we  now  were. 
Sept.  10.  ^ye  rece;veti  another  lot  of  recruits  to-day,  and  a  fine- 

looking  set  of  men  they  were.  It  is  a  notable  fact  that 
this  batch  of  recruits  was  the  last  in  which  we  had  any  feeling  of 
pride.  Up  to  and  including  this  time  we  had  been  fortunate  in  our 
recruits.  They  were  a  credit  to  the  State  and  reflected  honor  upon 
the  regiment ;  they  were  in  such  marked  contrast  to  those  who  fol 
lowed  that  the  fact  is  worth  mentioning. 

Disappointment  and  mortification  was  the  lot  of  one  of  this  num 
ber,  who  came  to  us  full  of  confidence  and  hope.  Having  completed 
his  school  education  he  was  seized  with  the  patriotic  desire  to  enlist, 
and  leaving  the  tender  care  of  mother  and  father  he  joined  the 
Thirteenth.  His  first  shock  was  at  our  appearance.  Instead  of 
bright  uniforms,  with  gilt  buttons  and  shoulder  knots,  he  found  us 
with  ragged  trousers,  ill-fitting  blouses,  and  torn  and  faded  caps  — 


132  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  the  result  of  long  marches  over  dusty  roads  and  bivouack 

ing  in  ploughed  fields,  that  made  us  look  more  like   a 
regiment  of  tramps  than  soldiers. 

On  the  morning  following  his  arrival,  our  new  recruit  made  inquiry 
of  his  comrades  as  to  where  he  was  to  get  milk  for  his  coffee,  and 
was  told  that  the  captain  kept  the  milk  in  his  tent.  Having  perfect 
confidence  in  his  comrades,  he  made  application  at  once.  The  cap 
tain  was  surprised  at  the  request,  and  explained  to  him  that  milk  was 
not  in  the  list  of  articles  of  diet  provided  by  the  Government.  Of 
course  the  recruit  felt  mortified  at  his  mistake,  but  made  the  best  of  it, 
though  it  destroyed  his  confidence  for  a  while  in  his  associates'  state 
ments.  He  learned  that  "  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive  "  had  no  coin 
age  in  the  army.  Notwithstanding  his  verdancy  he  became  an 
excellent  soldier. 

Most  of  us  cared  little  about  the  deprivation  of  milk,  though  the 
temptation  was  strong  among  some  of  the  boys,  when  sighting  a  cow, 
to  ascertain  if  they  had  lost  the  trick  of  milking.  Although  a  cow, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  is  a  peaceable  animal,  she  draws  the 
line  when  her  lactary  reservoir  is  being  too  energetically  pumped. 
To  hold  a  dipper  with  one  hand  and  milk  with  the  other,  particularly 
when  three  other  hands  were  endeavoring  to  do  the  same  thing  on 
the  same  cow,  and  she  unwilling  to  stand  still,  required  a  degree  of 
skill  that  few  of  us  possessed.  In  spite  of  being  well-aimed,  the 
stream  of  milk  would  generally  go  in  any  direction  but  that  of  the 
dipper ;  hence  the  necessity  of  struggling  with  this  problem  when  no 
other  soldiers  were  about,  unless  you  were  fond  of  unrewarded  labor. 
Therefore  most  of  us  preferred  buying  it  at  farm-houses,  though  the 
demand  was  so  much  greater  than  the  supply,  we  were  often  disap 
pointed  in  our  efforts  to  obtain  it.  When  the  sutler  was  with  us  we 
could  buy  "condensed  milk,"  which  we  found  an  excellent  substitute. 
At  9  A.M.  we  started  on  the  march  and  kept  it  up  all 
Se  "rsx  xay'  day,  in  a  slow,  tedious  manner,  until  we  paced  off  twelve 

miles  on  the  road  to  Frederick. 

Friday,  After  inspection  in  the  morning  we  marched  to  Ridge- 

sept.  12.       ville,  seven  miles,  and  camped. 


THIRTEENTH    J/.t.S.S.     VOLS.  133 

GKNKRAL  ORDKRS  ) 

No.  12.).          j"       WAR  DKI'AKTMKNT,  Ai >ju TAXT— GENKRAI/S  OKKICE, 

WASHINGTON,  Sept.  12,  1862. 

i.  The  President  directs  that  the  First,  Second,  and  Third  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  Virginia,  announced  in  General  Orders  No.  103,  be  hereafter  designated  the 
First,  Eleventh,  and  Twelfth.  The  several  army  corps  will  now  stand  as  follows : 

The  First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth,  as  arranged  in  General  Orders  No.  151, 
of  March  13,  1862,  from  the  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  Fifth,  Sixth,  Seventh,  Eighth,  and  Ninth,  as  announced  in  General  Orders 
No.  84,  of  July  22,  1862,  from  this  office. 

The  Tenth,  as  announced  in  General  Orders  No.  123,  of  Sept.  3,  1862,  from 
this  office. 

The  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  the  same  as  the  First  and  Second  Corps,  Army  of 
Virginia. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 

L.  THOMAS, 

Adjutant-  General. 
1862. 

Saturday,  We  started  at  i  P.M.  anil   marched  twelve  more  miles 

Sept.  13.        toward  Frederick. 

At  5  A.M.  we  broke  camp  and  marched  all  day  with  fre- 
Sunday,  quent  and  uncertain  halts,  passing  through  Frederick 
Sept.  14.  and  Middletovra,  until  about  six  o'clock,  when  our  di 
vision  (Hooker's)  was  placed  in  second  line  of  battle 
on  South  Mountain.  As  we  climbed  up  the  steep  sides  of  the  moun 
tain  we  were  fired  at  by  the  enemy,  who  made  the  very  common 
mistake  of  soldiers  when  firing  from  an  elevated  position,  —  that  of 
firing  too  high,  —  by  which  means  we  escaped  any  casualties.  We 
laid  on  our  arms  until  morning. 

The  unexpected  often  happens  in  the  army.  When  we  retreated 
from  Manassas,  the  afternoon  of  August  30,  we  gave  up  all  hope  of 
seeing  our  knapsacks  again,  as  the  grove  where  they  were  deposited 
had  been  taken  possession  of  by  the  enemy.  During  our  advance 
up  the  mountain  to-day,  the  dead  body  of  a  rebel  belonging  to  a 
Georgia  regiment  was  seen  lying  on  the  ground  near  the  road,  where 
he  was  killed.  One  of  our  boys,  regretting  the  loss  of  his  knapsack, 
and  noticing  the  Reb  had  one,  concluded  to  make  good  his  loss  by 
transferring  it  to  his  own  back.  Now  the  most  astonishing  thing 
about  this  was  the  discovery,  upon  removing  the  knapsack,  that  it 


134  TIIHEE.  YEARS    IN    THE    AliMY. 

1862.  was  his  own  property,  which  had  been  toted  from  Man- 

assas  to  South  Mountain  by  a  rebel  soldier.    He  was  still 

more  amazed  on  opening  it  to  find  the  contents  had  been  undisturbed. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  report  of  General  Ricketts,  our 

division  commander,  dated  Sept.  21,  1862  : 

On  the  morning  of  the  I4th  instant  the  division  was  under  arms  to  march  at 
daylight  from  its  encampment  near  the  Monocacy,  and  arrived  at  the  east  side  of 
South  Mountain,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  turnpike,  at  5  P.M.,  forming  line 
of  battle,  First  Brigade,  Brigadier-General  Duryea,  on  the  extreme  right;  Third 
Brigade,  Brigadier-General  Hartsuff,  in  the  centre,  and  Second  Brigade,  Colonel 
Christian,  on  the  left.  The  route  of  the  First  and  Third  Brigades  extended  over 
a  very  rough  ground  to  the  crest  of  the  mountain,  which  was  gallantly  won.  On 
the  left  the  Second  Brigade  was  sent  to  the  relief  of  General  Doubleday's,  which 
was  hard  pressed  and  nearly  out  of  ammunition.  It  engaged  the  enemy  with 
terrible  effect,  and  drove  him  down  the  west  side  of  the  mountain. 

It  being  now  too  dark  to  advance,  and  the  men  much  exhausted,  operations 
ceased  for  the  night.  The  next  morning,  the  enemy  having  fled  during  the  night, 
the  division  moved  forward  and  encamped  near  Keedysville.  The  artillery  was 
not  engaged. 

In  his  report  on  the  battle  of  South  Mountain,  General  Hooker 
makes  the  following  statement : 

It  being  very  dark,  our  troops  were  directed  to  remain  in  position,  and  Hart 
suff 's  brigade  was  brought  up  and  formed  a  line  across  the  valley,  connecting 
with  Meade's  left  and  Hatch's  right,  and  all  were  directed  to  sleep  on  their  arms. 
At  dawn,  Hartsuff 's  skirmishers  were  thrown  forward,  supported  by  his  brigade, 
to  the  Mountain  House,  a  mounted  picket  of  the  enemy  retreating  as  they  ad 
vanced.  The  enemy  had  been  reenforced  by  twenty  regiments  of  Longstreet's 
corps  during  the  early  part  of  the  night,  but  between  12  and  I  o'clock  commenced 
a  hurried  and  confused  retreat,  leaving  his  dead  on  our  hands  and  his  wounded 
uncared  for. 

Marched  at  daylight,  two  companies  being  thro.vn  out 
Monday,  m  front  as  skirmishers,  until  the  top  of  the  mountain  was 
Sept.  15.  reached,  when  we  saw  the  enemy  retreating  toward 
Boonsboro',  whereupon  we  started  in  chase,  passing 
through  that  town  to  Keedysville,  about  ten  miles,  without  overtaking 
them.  It  is  not  without  some  truth  they  were  called  the  "  Fleet- 
footed  Virginians." 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  135 

1862.  The  towns  of  Boonsboro'  and  Keedysville  were  dec 

orated  with  Union  flags,  and  it  was  inspiring  to  march 
through  towns  with  Uncle  Sam's  bunting  displayed,  and  listen  to 
encouraging  words  from  friends.  This  was  our  stamping  ground  of 
'6 1,  and  it  seemed  like  home  to  us. 

At  3.30  P.M.  we  moved  across  a  bridge  toward  the 
Tuesday,  village  of  Bakersville,  on  the  Hagerstown  and  Sharps- 
Sept.  16.  burg  turnpike,  turning  to  the  left  after  crossing  a  country 
road,  also  leading  to  Sharpsburg,  moving  parallel  to  it 
nearly  half  a  mile  under  a  heavy  artillery  fire  from  the  enemy.  In 
order  that  their  guns  might  have  as  little  effect  as  possible  we  were 
formed  "double  column  half  distance  "  and  march  to  the  front,  then 
to  the  right,  then  front,  then  to  the  left,  then  front,  then  right  ag'ain, 
then  front,  always  preserving  our  formation,  and  gaining  to  the  front 
all  the  time.  This  movement  made  under  a  heavy  fire  was  performed 
with  as  much  precision  and  coolness  as  though  the  regiment  was  on  a 
battalion  drill.  It  is  worth  mentioning  to  show  what  good  use  may 
be  made  of  the  skill  and  confidence  acquired  by  constant  drilling. 

It  was  a  gray,  misty  morning,  and  like  the  girl  who 
Wednesday,  was  to  be  Queen  of  the  May,  we  were  called  early. 
Sept.  17.  All  night  long  ^he  firing  of  guns  on  the  picket  line  in 
front  of  us  disturbed  our  sleep,  sounding  very  much  like 
a  "night  before  the  Fourth  "  at  home.  While  we  were  endeavor 
ing  to  see  whether  the  men  moving  in  front  of  us  were  our  own  men 
or  the  rebels,  an  aid  from  General  Hooker's  staff  dashed  up  to  where 
we  stood,  and,  after  satisfying  himself,  ordered  us  to  move.  We 
went  obliquely  to  the  right,  across  a  fence,  then  across  a  lane  and 
on  to  the  corner  of  the  woods,  from  which  we  moved  to  the  corn 
field  in  front  of  the  Dunker  Church.  As  we  entered  the  corn- field 
we  were  received  by  a  sudden  volley  from  the  enemy,  who,  until  that 
moment,  were  lying  concealed  from  view.  Here  we  stayed  until  our 
ammunition  was  exhausted,  when  we  were  relieved  and  marched  to 
the  rear,  where  our  cartridge-boxes  were  replenished,  and  where  we 
remained  the  rest  of  the  day.  We  took  into  this  fight  three  hundred 
and  one  men  and  brought  out  one  hundred  and  sixty- five,  a  loss  of 
forty-five  per  cent. 


136  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  A  hospital  for  the  Thirteenth  was  established  in  a  barn 

in  Keedysville. 

The  following  is  from  the  report  of  General  Ricketts  on  his 
division's  work  at  Antietam  : 

From  Keedysville  on  the  afternoon  of  the  i6th,  the  division  crossed  the  Antie 
tam  river  and  moved  toward  Sharpsburg,  in  direction  of  the  enemy's  left  flank. 
Third  Brigade  [Hartsuff]  was  formed  in  line  while  under  fire  from  the  enemy's 
artillery;  Second  Brigade  toward  the  left  of  the  Third,  and  First  Brigade  in 
reserve.  The  artillery,  though  within  range,  was  placed  as  much  under  shelter  as 
possible  for  the  night. 

The  morning  of  the  Ijth  your  order  to  advance  and  occupy  the  woods  in  front 
was  being  carried  out  when  General  Hartsuff,  who  was  examining  the  ground, 
was  severely  wounded,  and  the  services  of  this  valuable  officer  were  lost.  The 
brigade  moved  forward  [under  command  of  Colonel  Coulter],  supported  by  Sec 
ond  Brigade  on  the  left  and  First  Brigade  on  the  right,  all  advancing  with  the 
artillery,  Battery  F,  First  Pennsylvania,  under  Captain  Matthews,  Captain  Thomp 
son's  Independent  Pennsylvania  Battery,  each  consisting  of  four  3-inch  rifled 
guns.  Taking  advantage  of  the  ground  both  batteries  opened  with  destructive 
effect,  officers  and  men  displaying  great  coolness  while  exposed  to  a  severe  fire  of 
artillery  and  infantry.  The  division  gained  the  outer  edge  of  the  wood  and  kept 
up  a  fearful  fire  for  four  hours,  until  the  ammunition  being  exhausted  and  the 
supports  not  coming  up,  it  was  compelled  to  retire  to  refill  boxes,  after  which  the 
division  joined  the  rest  of  the  corps  on  the  right,  near  the  turnpike,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  brisk  fire  from  the  enemy's  artillery,  under  which  they  stood,  was 
not  employed  again  during  the  day  only  to  hold  that  position. 

In  General  Hooker's  report  may  be  seen  the  following  : 

The  whole  morning  had  been  one  of  unusual  animation  to  me  and  fraught  with 
the  grandest  events.  The  conduct  of  my  troops  was  sublime,  and  the  occasion 
almost  lifted  me  to  the  skies,  and  its  memories  will  ever  remain  to  me.  My  com 
mand  followed  the  fugitives  closely  until  we  had  passed  the  cornfield,  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  or  more,  when  I  was  removed  from  my  saddle  in  the  act  of  falling  out 
of  it  from  the  loss  of  blood. 

The  following  account  is  from  the  pen  of  G.  W.  Smalley,  corre 
spondent  of  the  "  New  York  Tribune  "  and  other  papers.  He 
was  near  General  Hooker  during  the  fight,  with  excellent  opportu 
nities  for  seeing  and  knowing  all  that  occurred.  The  extract  we 
quote  shows  how  it  appeared  to  him  : 

The  battle  began  with  the  dawn.  Morning  found  both  armies  just  as  they  had 
slept,  almost  close  enough  to  look  into  each  other's  eves.  The  left  of  Meade's 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  137 

1862.  reserves  and  the  right  of  Ricketts'  line  became  engaged  at  nearly 

the  same  moment,  one  with  artillery,  the  other  with  infantry.  A 
battery  was  almost  immediately  pushed  forward  beyond  the  central  woods,  over  a 
ploughed  field,  near  the  top  of  the  slope  where  the  cornfield  began.  On  this 
open  field,  in  the  corn  beyond,  and  in  the  woods  which  stretched  forward  into 
the  broad  fields,  like  a  promontory  into  the  ocean,  were  the  hardest  and  deadliest 
struggles  of  the  day. 

For  half  an  hour  after  the  battle  had  grown  to  its  full  strength,  the  line  of  fire 
extended  neither  way.  Hooker's  men  were  fully  up  to  their  work.  They  saw 
their  general  everywhere  in  front,  never  away  from  the  fire;  and  all  the  troops 
believed  in  their  commander,  and  fought  with  a  will.  Two-thirds  of  them  were 
the  same  men  who,  under  McDowell,  had  broken  at  Manassas. 

The  half-hour  passed;  the  rebels  began  to  give  way  a  little,  —  only  a  little; 
but  at  the  first  indication  of  a  receding  fire,  "  Forward  !  "  was  the  word,  and  on 
went  the  line  with  a  rush.  Back  across  the  cornfield,  leaving  dead  and  wounded 
behind  them,  over  the  fence,  and  across  the  wood,  and  then  back  again  into  the 
dark  woods,  which  closed  around  them,  went  the  retreating  rebels. 

But  out  of  those  gloomy  woods  came  suddenly  and  heavily  terrible  volleys  — 
volleys  which  smote,  and  bent,  and  broke,  in  a  moment,  that  eager  front,  and 
hurled  them  swiftly  back  for  half  the  distance  they  had  won.  Not  swiftly  nor  in 
panic,  any  further.  Closing  up  their  shattered  lines,  they  came  slowly  away;  a 
regiment  where  a  brigade  had  been;  hardly  a  brigade  where  a  whole  division  had 
been  victorious.  They  had  met  at  the  woods  the  first  volleys  of  musketry  from 
fresh  troops  —  had  met  them  and  returned  them  till  their  line  had  yielded  and 
gone  down  before  this  weight  of  fire,  and  till  their  ammunition  was  exhausted. 

In  ten  minutes  the  fortunes  of  the  day  seemed  to  have  changed  ;  it  was  the 
rebels  who  were  now  advancing,  pouring  out  of  the  woods  in  endless  lines,  sweep 
ing  through  the  cornfield  from  which  their  comrades  had  just  fled.  Hooker  sent 
in  his  nearest  brigade  to  meet  them,  but  it  could  not  do  the  work.  He  called  for 
another.  There  was  nothing  close  enough,  unless  he  took  it  from  his  right.  His 
right  might  be  in  danger  if  it  was  weakened;  but  his  centre  was  already  threatened 
with  annihilation.  Not  hesitating  one  moment,  he  sent  to  Doubleday,  "  Give  me 
your  best  brigade  instantly." 

The  best  brigade  came  down  the  hill  to  the  right  on  the  run,  went  through  the 
timber  in  front,  through  a  storm  of  shot  and  bursting  shell,  and  crashing  limbs, 
over  the  open  field  beyond,  and  straight  into  the  cornfield,  passing,  as  they  went, 
the  fragment  of  those  brigades  shattered  by  the  rebel  fire,  and  streaming  to  the  rear. 
They  passed  by  Hooker,  whose  eyes  lighted  as  he  saw  these  veteran  troops  led  by 
a  soldier  whom  he  knew  he  could  trust.  "  I  think  they  will  hold  it,"  he  said. 

General  Ilartsuff  took  his  troops  very  steadily,  but,  now  that  they  were  under 
fire,  not  hurriedly,  up  the  hill  from  which  the  cornfield  begins  to  descend,  and 
formed  them  on  the  crest.  Not  a  man  who  was  not  in  full  view  —  not  one  who 
bent  before  the  storm.  Firing  at  first  in  volleys,  they  fired  then  at  will  with  won- 


138  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  derful  rapidity  and  effect.  The  whole  line  crowned  the  hill,  and 

stood  out  darkly  against  the  sky,  but  lighted  and  shrouded  ever  in 
flame  and  smoke. 

They  were  the  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth  Massachusetts,  the  Ninth  New  York,  and 
the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  —  old  troops,  all  of  them. 

Then  for  half  an  hour  they  held  the  ridge,  unyielding  in  purpose,  exhaustless  in 
courage.  There  were  gaps  in  the  line,  but  it  nowhere  bent.  Their  general  was 
severely  wounded  early  in  the  fight,  but  they  fought  on.  Their  supports  did  not 
come  —  they  determined  without  them.  They  began  to  go  down  the  hill  and  into 
the  corn;  they  did  not  stop  to  think  that  their  ammunition  was  nearly  gone;  they 
were  there  to  win  that  field,  and  they  won  it.  The  rebel  line  for  the  second  time 
fled  through  the  corn  and  into  the  woods.  I  cannot  tell  how  few  of  HartsufP s 
brigade  were  left  when  the  work  was  done.  There  was  no  more  gallant,  deter 
mined,  heroic  fighting  in  all  this  desperate  day.  General  Hartsuff  is  severely 
wounded;  but  I  do  not  believe  he  counts  his  success  dearly  purchased. 

There  has  been  some  doubt  thrown  upon  this  story  because 
Hartsuff' s  brigade  was  not  in  Doubleday's  division. 

A  soldier,  when  actively  engaged  in  battle,  has  so  little  appreciation 
of  how  his  actions  may  appear  to  a  looker-on,  that  when  we  read  the 
"best  brigade"  story,  we  felt  that,  notwithstanding  the  facts  were  all 
there,  they  had  received  a  rhetorical  coloring  which  made  them  seem 
different  from  what  they  really  were. 

Alfred  C.  Munroe,  of  the  Twelfth  Massachusetts,  who  was  at 
that  time  attached  to  General  Hooker's  headquarters,  says  he 
heard  the  order  given  as  Smalley  relates  it.  That  part  of  the  story, 
however,  is  of  little  consequence  beside  the  important  one  of  remov 
ing  any  doubt  as  to  whether  Hartsuff 's  brigade  really  did  such  a 
service  on  that  memorable  day.  The  following  letter  by  General 
Doubleday,  published  in  the  "  National  Tribune  "  of  March  24,  1892, 
seems  to  settle  the  question  so  completely  that  we  give  it  publication  : 

Editor  National  Tribune,  —  A  very  interesting  article  appeared  in  your  paper 
a  few  weeks  ago  in  reference  to  the  battle  of  Antietam.  It  is  in  the  main 
accurate,  but  contains  one  error  which  I  desire  to  correct,  and  which  would  seem 
to  have  originated  in  the  correspondent  of  the  New  York  "  Times."  After  three 
hours'  fighting,  at  a  crisis  in  the  battle  when  it  became  doubtful  if  we  could  hold 
the  bloody  cornfield  between  the  lines,  Hooker,  it  is  alleged,  sent  word  to 
Doubleday,  "Send  me  your  best  brigade."  It  stated  that  this  "best  brigade" 
went  forward  and  held  the  field,  which,  however,  was  lost  later  in  the  day. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  139 

1862.  Now,  as  my  division  began  the  battle  in  the  morning,  and  was  the 

first  to  charge  the  enemy,  I  had  no  brigade  to  spare,  fur  three  of 
mine,  under  Gibbon,  Patrick,  and  Phelps,  were  already  closely  engaged  at  the 
front.  They  had  lost  heavily,  had  captured  six  battle-flags,  were  out  of  ammu 
nition,  and  in  obedience  of  an  order  from  General  Hooker  were  holding  the 
position  with  the  bayonet.  I  had  another  brigade,  it  is  true,  under  the  gallant 
Hoffman,  but  it  was  kept  in  rear  by  a  special  order  from  General  Hooker,  in  con 
sequence  of  a  slight  demonstration  made  by  Stuart's  cavalry  on  that  flank.  It 
was  Hartsuff's  brigade,  of  Ricketts'  division,  that  held  the  cornfield  so  hand 
somely,  and  not  one  of  mine.  Ricketts  was  entitled,  I  thought,  to  a  good  deal 
of  credit  for  the  way  in  which  he  handled  his  men;  but  through  some  misrepre 
sentations  or  misunderstanding  he  was  relieved  from  command  at  the  close  of  the 
day  by  General  McClellan,  and  his  division  was  turned  over  to  General  Gibbon. 

ABNER   DOUBLEDAY, 
MKNDHAM,  N.  J.  Brevet  Major-General,  U.S.A. 

The  following  official  announcement  of  the  battle  of  Antietam  was 
sent  to  Washington  on  the  iQth  of  September,  it  being  reasonably 
certain,  by  that  time,  that  the  rebel  army  had  recrossed  the  river  into 
Virginia  : 

HKADQUARTKRS  ARMY  OK  THK  POTOMAC, 

SllARl'SBURG,  September  19,  1862. 
MAJ.-GEN.  II.  \V.  HALI.KCK,  Commanding  U.S.  Army  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  Maryland  is  entirely  freed  from  the  presence  of 
the  enemy,  who  have  been  driven  across  the  Potomac.  N"o  fears  need  now  be 
entertained  for  the  safety  of  Pennsylvania.  I  shall  at  once  occupy  Harper's 

Ferry. 

GEO.  B.  McCLELLAX, 

-  General  Commanding. 


The  rebel  army  having  voluntarily  returned  to  the  "  sacred  soil  " 
of  Virginia,  without  let  or  hindrance  from  our  forces,  it  would  seem 
that  the  word  "driven"  which  appears  in  the  dispatch  was  not  an 
exact  statement  of  fact,  while  General  McClellan  omitted  to  say 
that  the  opportunity  for  destroying  Lee's  army  was  lost. 

The  following  statement  by  General  McClellan,  concerning  the 
battle  of  Antietam,  we  quote  from  his  book  : 

The  spectacle  yesterday  was  the  grandest  I  could  conceive  of;  nothing  could  l>e 
more  sublime.  Those  in  whose  judgment  I  rely,  tell  me  that  I  fought  the  battle 
splendidly,  and  that  it  was  a  masterpiece  of  art. 


140  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  "  '  But  what  good  came  of  it  at  last? ' 

Quoth  little  Peterkin. 
'  Why,  that  I  cannot  tell,'  said  he; 
'  But  'twas  a  famous  victory.'  " 

With  respect  to  the  condition  of  the  rebel  army,  it  is  interesting  to 
read  what  General  Lee  says  about  it  in  a  report  he  made  to  Presi 
dent  Davis,  dated  Sept.  21,  1862  : 

The  army  is  resting  to-day  on  the  Opequan,  below  Martinsburg.  Its  present 
efficiency  is  greatly  paralyzed  by  the  loss  to  its  ranks  of  the  numerous  stragglers. 
I  have  taken  every  means  in  my  power  from  the  beginning  to  correct  this  evil, 
which  has  increased  instead  of  diminished.  A  great  many  men  belonging  to  the 
army  never  entered  Maryland  at  all;  many  returned  after  getting  there,  while 
others  who  crossed  the  river  kept  aloof. 

There  is  much  more  in  this  letter  that  goes  to  show  how  badly  off 
the  enemy  felt  themselves  to  be  ;  but  this  extract  is  sufficient  to  show 
that  they  were  glad  enough  to  have  the  fighting  postponed  until  they 
could  recuperate. 

It  is  also  interesting  to  read  what  an  Englishman  thinks  about  the 
battle  of  Antietam.  In  Mr.  Archibald  Forbes'  article  on  Abraham 
Lincoln  as  a  strategist,  published  in  the  "  North  American  Review," 
July  and  August,  1892,  is  the  following : 

Though  he  [McClellan]  still  held  to  him  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  had  lost 
with  the  nation  the  mesmerism  of  his  prestige.  But  fortune  favored  him.  Pope's 
regiments  turned  out  so  much  less  demoralized  than  had  been  supposed,  that 
McClellan's  work  of  organization  was  easier  and  shorter  than  could  have  been 
anticipated.  He  was  as  assiduous  in  that  work  as  ever;  as  ever,  he  was  slow  when 
the  march  with  an  enemy  at  the  end  of  it  came  to  be  undertaken.  Rarely,  indeed, 
has  it  been  the  good  fortune  of  a  general,  at  the  beginning  of  a  campaign,  to  find 
himself  placed  in  full  knowledge  of  his  adversaries'  disposition;  yet  the  possession 
of  that  enormous  advantage  could  not  stir  McClellan  into  prompt  alacrity.  His 
sluggishness  cost  the  loss  of  the  garrison  of  Harper's  Ferry.  He  threw  away  in 
valuable  time  before  taking  the  offensive  at  South  Mountain;  and  he  could  have 
done  Lee  no  better  service  than  in  wasting  a  whole  autumn  day  in  deliberately 
putting  his  army  into  position  for  the  unscientific,  unpurposeful,  and  butcherly 
fighting  of  the  morrow.  Not  until  the  26th  of  October  did  McClellan  begin  to 
cross  the  Potomac.  During  the  interval  of  more  than  five  weeks  he  had  practi 
cally  been  immobile,  while  Lee  quietly  watched  him  from  Winchester.  During 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  141 

1862.  that  interval  he  continuously  clamored  for  reinforcements,   for  re- 

equipment  of  all  kinds,  for  supplies  on  supplies. 

With  respect  to  renewing  the  attack  on  the  i8th,  General  McClel- 
lan  makes  the  following  statement : 

After  a  night  of  anxious  deliberation  and  a  full  and  careful  survey  of  our  army, 
the  strength  and  position  of  the  enemy,  I  conclude  that  the  success  of  an  attack 
on  the  1 8th  was  not  certain.  I  am  aware  of  the  fact  that,  under  ordinary  circum 
stances,  a  general  is  expected  to  risk  a  battle  if  he  has  a  reasonable  prospect  of 
success;  but  at  this  critical  juncture  I  should  have  had  a  narrow  view  of  the  con 
dition  of  the  country  had  I  been  willing  to  hazard  another  battle  with  less  than 
an  absolute  assurance  of  success. 

In  testimony  of  his  own  abilities,  he  further  says  : 

Since  the  war  I  have  met  many  of  my  late  antagonists,  and  have  found  none 
who  entertained  any  personal  enmity  against  me.  While  acknowledging  with 
Lee  and  other  of  their  generals  that  they  feared  me  more  than  any  of  the  North 
ern  generals  and  that  I  had  struck  them  harder  blows  when  in  the  full  prime  of 
their  strength,  they  have  all  said  that  I  fought  them  like  a  gentleman  and  in  an 
honorable  way,  and  that  they  felt  nothing  but  respect  for  me. 

I  remember  very  well,  when  riding  over  the  field  of  South  Mountain,  that 
passing  by  a  severely  wounded  Confederate  officer,  I  dismounted  and  spoke  with 
him,  asking  whether  I  could  do  anything  to  relieve  him.  lie  was  a  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  a  North  Carolina  regiment,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  General  McClellan; 
and  when  I  said  that  I  was  General  McClellan,  he  grasped  my  hand  and  told  me 
that  he  was  perfectly  willing  to  be  wounded  and  a  prisoner  for  the  sake  of  taking 
by  the  hand  one  whom  all  the  Confederates  so  honored  and  admired.  Such  things 
happened  to  me  not  infrequently,  and  I  confess  that  it  gave  me  no  little  pleasure 
to  find  that  my  antagonists  shared  the  feelings  of  my  own  men  for  me. 

In  the  Gospel  according  to  Saint  Luke  occurs  the  following  para 
graph  :  "  Woe  unto  you,  when  all  men  shall  speak  well  of  you  !  for 
so  did  their  fathers  to  the  false  prophets." 

As  a  contrast  to  General  McClellan's  methods  of  conducting  a 
battle,  it  is  interesting  to  read  what  Stonewall  Jackson  would  have 
done  had  he  been  in  McClellan's  position.  General  Imboden  writes 
that  Jackson  often  said  to  him  : 

There  were  two  things  never  to  be  lost  sight  of  by  a  military  commander : 
Always  mystify,  mislead,  and  surprise  the  enemy,  if  possible;  and  when  you  strike 


142  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  and  overcome  him,  never  let  up  in  the  pursuit  so  long  as  your  men 

have  strength  to  follow ;  for  an  army  routed,  if  hotly  pursued,  be 
comes  panic-stricken,  and  can  then  be  destroyed  by  half  their  number.  The 
other  rule  is,  never  fight  against  heavy  odds,  if  by  any  possible  manoeuvring  you 
can  hurl  your  own  force  on  only  a  part,  and  that  the  weakest  part,  of  your  enemy 
and  crush  it.  Such  tactics  will  win  every  time,  and  a  small  army  may  thus  destroy 
a  large  one  in  detail,  and  repeated  victory  will  make  it  invincible. 

As  an  additional  reason  for  not  following  up  the  advantage  gained 
on  the  iyth,  General  McClellan  says  that 

The  troops  were  greatly  overcome  by  the  fatigue  and  exhaustion  attendant 
upon  the  long-continued  and  severely  contested  battle  of  the  I7th,  together  with 
the  long  day-and-night  marches  to  which  they  had  been  subjected  during  the 
previous  three  days. 

To  us  of  the  Thirteenth  it  seemed  just  possible  that  the  enemy 
might  be  equally  tired  and  a  good  deal  more  discomfited,  and  that 
the  time  had  come  when  we  might  efface  the  disagreeable  recollec 
tion  of  Manassas ;  and  the  wonder  was  why  we  were  not  allowed  to 
follow  up  our  advantage.  When  men  are  stimulated  by  success  in 
battle  they  forget  everything  but  pushing  their  good  fortune  to  a 
complete  triumph.  As  it  was,  we  remained  in  idleness  until  the 
25th  of  October,  allowing  the  enemy  to  find  their  way  back  across 
the  river  at  their  leisure.  There  was  one  man,  however,  who 
appreciated  that  instinct  in  human  nature  which  prompts  us  all  to 
"  sail  in  "  when  the  other  fellow  weakens,  and  that  was  "  Old  Abe." 
Day  after  day  telegrams  from  Washington  were  sent  to  McClellan 
asking  him  to  explain  his  delay,  and  urging  the  importance  of  his 
present  advantage,  until  he  (General  McClellan)  was  prompted  to 
return  to  General  Halleck  an  answer,  in  which  is  the  following 
paragraph  : 

I  regret  that  you  find  it  necessary  to  couch  every  despatch  I  have  the  honor  to 
receive  from  you  in  a  spirit  of  fault-finding,  and  that  you  have  not  yet  found 
leisure  to  say  one  word  in  commendation  of  recent  achievements  of  the  army,  or 
even  to  allude  to  them. 

The  following  interesting  order  explains  itself: 


Till  RTEEX  Til    MASS.     VOLS.  143 

1862.  IlHADQirAKTKRS,    DEKKNCKS    OK    WASHINGTON, 

WASHINGTON,  Sept.  23,  1862, 10.30  A.M. 
BRIG.-GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS, 

Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 
Telegram  of  last  night  received  this  morning.  It  occurs  to  me  that  at  least  a 
part  of  the  confusion  caused  by  the  new  numbers  of  the  corps  arises  from  the  fact 
that  you  have  got  them  wrong.  Sicgel's  corps  is  the  Eleventh,  Banks'  is  the 
Twelfth,  and  Hooker's  (late  McDowell's)  is  the  First  Corps.  This  is  warranted 
correct,  the  newspapers  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  Consequently,  after 
some  puzzling,  I  infer  from  your  telegram  that  Meade  commands  the  First  Corps, 
vice  Hooker,  wounded,  and  A.  S.  Williams  commands  the  Twelfth  Corps,  vice 
Mansfield,  killed.  Is  this  right?  To  whom  was  Webber's  brigade  assigned?  Is 
Couch's  division  independent?  Does  Sturgis  command  Reno's  division,  and 
Wilcox,  Stevens'?  Piatt's  brigade  is  here,  in  Whipple's  division. 

RICHARD  B.  IRWIX, 
Captain,  Aide-de-Campt  and  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

Whatever  confusion  may  have  existed  in  the  minds  of  others,  it 
is  certain  that  we  were  in  the  second  division  of  the  First  Corps. 
General  Ricketts  commanded  the  division  and  General  Meade  the 
corps. 

By  an  order  dated  Sept.  29,  1862,  General  Reynolds  assumed 
temporary  command  of  the  First  Corps,  and  in  the  same  communi 
cation  General  Meade  was  ordered  to  reassume  the  command  of  the 
third  division  of  the  same  corps.  General  Reynolds  remained  in 
command  of  the  First  Corps,  however,  until  he  lost  his  life  at 
Gettysburg. 

On  the  6th  of  October  General  Halleck  was  instructed  by  the 
President  to  telegraph  General  McClellan  as  follows  :  "  The  President 
directs  that  you  cross  the  Potomac  and  give  battle  to  the  enemy  or 
drive  him  south."  This,  however,  did  not  move  McClellan. 

On  the  loth  of  October  the  rebel  general,  Stuart,  crossed  the 
Potomac  at  McCoy's  ford,  between  Williamsport  and  Hancock, 
penetrated  as  far  as  Chambersburg,  which  he  occupied  for  a  time, 
destroyed  public  property,  made  the  entire  circuit  of  the  Federal 
army,  and  recrossed  the  Potomac  near  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy, 
without  any  loss  worth  mentioning,  and  to  the  mortification  of  the 
Union  army,  which  was  doing  nothing.  Both  of  these  fords  were 


144  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  within  the  sphere  of  our  duty  during  the  year  1861  and 

the  first  two  months  of  1862.     The  following  extracts 
are  taken  from  his  report  of  the  affair  to  General  Lee  : 

Unoffending  persons  were  treated  with  civility,  and  the  inhabitants  were 
generous  in  proffers  of  provisions  on  the  march.  We  seized  and  brought  over  a 
large  number  of  horses,  the  property  of  citizens  of  the  United  States.  The  valu 
able  information  obtained  in  this  reconnoissance,  as  to  the  distribution  of  the 
enemy's  force,  was  communicated  orally  to  the  commanding  general,  and  need 
not  be  here  repeated.  A  number  of  the  public  functionaries  and  prominent 
citizens  were  taken  captives,  and  brought  over  as  hostages  for  our  own  unoffend 
ing  citi/ens,  whom  the  enemy  has  torn  from  their  homes  and  confined  in 
dungeons  in  the  North.  One  or  two  of  my  men  lost  their  way,  and  are  probably 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Believing  that  the  hand  of  God  was  clearly  manifested  in  the  signal  deliverance 
of  my  command  from  danger,  and  the  crowning  success  attending  it,  I  ascribe  to 
Him  the  praise,  the  honor,  and  the  glory. 

If  it  was  true,  as  General  Stuart  asserted,  that  he  was  under  Divine 
protection  and  guidance,  perhaps  it  was  just  as  well  for  us  that  we 
didn't  interfere  with  his  progress. 

We  notice  in  the  War  Records  that  the  hand  of  God  was  not  recog 
nized  when  armies  met  with  defeat. 

On  the  1 3th  of  October  the  President  sent  the  following  letter  to 
General  McClellan,  which  shows  how  clearly  Mr.  Lincoln  compre 
hended  the  possibilities  of  the  situation  : 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION, 
WASHINGTON,  B.C.,  Oct.  13,  1862. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MCCLELLAN  : 

MY  DEAR  SIR:  You  remember  my  speaking  to  you  of  what  I  called  your 
overcautiousness.  Are  you  not  overcautious  when  you  assume  that  you  cannot  do 
what  the  enemy  is  constantly  doing  ?  Should  you  not  claim  to  be  at  least  his  equal 
in  prowess,  and  act  upon  the  claim  ?  As  I  understand,  you  telegraphed  General 
Halleck  that  you  cannot  subsist  your  army  at  Winchester,  unless  the  railroad  from 
Harper's  Ferry  to  that  point  be  put  in  working  order.  But  the  enemy  does  now 
subsist  his  army  at  Winchester,  at  a  distance  nearly  twice  as  great  from  rail 
road  transportation  as  you  would  have  to  do,  without  the  railroad  last  named. 
He  now  wagons  from  Culpeper  Court-House,  which  is  just  about  twice  as  far  as 
you  would  have  to  do  from  Harper's  Ferry.  He  is  certainly  not  more  than  half 
as  well  provided  with  wagons  as  you  are.  I  certainly  should  be  pleased  for  you 


TUIKTEKXr/l    MASS.     VOLS.  1  J.', 

1862.  to  have  the  advantage  of  the  railroad  from  Harper's  Ferry  to  Win 

chester,  but  it  wastes  all  the  remainder  of  autumn  to  give  it  to  you, 
and,  in  fact,  ignores  the  question  of  time,  which  cannot  and  must  not  be  ignored. 
Again,  one  of  the  standard  maxims  of  war,  as  you  know,  is  to  "  operate  upon  the 
enemy's  communications  as  much  as  possible  without  exposing  your  own."  You 
seem  to  act  as  if  this  applies  against  you,  but  cannot  apply  in  your  favor.  Change 
positions  with  the  enemy,  and  think  you  not  he  would  break  your  communication 
with  Richmond  within  the  next  twenty-four  hours  ?  You  dread  his  going  into 
Pennsylvania;  but  if  he  does  so  in  full  force,  he  gives  up  his  communications  to  you 
absolutely;  and  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  follow  and  ruin  him.  If  he  does  so 
with  less  than  full  force,  fall  upon  and  beat  what  is  left  behind  all  the  easier. 
Exclusive  of  the  water-line,  you  are  now  nearer  Richmond  than  the  enemy  is  by  the 
route  that  you  can  and  he  must  take.  Why  can  you  not  reach  there  before  him, 
unless  you  admit  that  he  is  more  than  your  equal  on  the  march  ?  His  route  is  the 
arc  of  a  circle,  while  yours  is  the  chord.  The  roads  are  as  good  on  yours  as  on 
his.  You  know  I  desired,  but  did  not  order,  you  to  cross  the  Potomac  below, 
instead  of  above,  the  Shenandoah  and  Blue  Ridge.  My  idea  was  that  this  would 
at  once  menace  the  enemy's  communications,  which  I  would  seixe  if  he  would 
permit. 

If  he  should  move  forward  I  would  follow  him  closely,  holding  his  communi 
cations.  If  he  should  prevent  our  seizing  his  communications  and  move  toward 
Richmond,  I  would  press  closely  to  him,  fight  him  if  a  favorable  opportunity 
should  present,  and  at  least  try  to  beat  him  to  Richmond  on  the  inside  track.  I 
say  "try;  "  if  we  never  try  we  shall  never  succeed.  If  he  makes  a  stand  at 
Winchester,  moving  neither  north  nor  south,  I  would  light  him  there,  on  the  idea 
that  if  we  cannot  beat  him  when  he  bears  the  wastage  of  coming  to  us,  we  never 
can  when  we  bear  the  wastage  of  going  to  him.  This  proposition  is  a  simple 
truth,  and  is  too  important  to  be  lost  sight  of  for  a  moment.  In  coming  to  us  he 
tenders  us  an  advantage  which  we  should  not  waive.  We  should  not  so  operate 
as  to  merely  drive  him  away.  As  we  must  beat  him  somewhere  or  fail  finally,  we 
can  do  it,  if  at  all,  easier  near  to  us  than  far  away.  If  we  cannot  beat  the  enemy 
where  he  now  is,  we  never  can,  he  again  being  within  the  intrenchments  of 
Richmond. 

Recurring  to  the  idea  of  going  to  Richmond  on  the  inside  track,  the  facility  of 
supplying  from  the  side  away  from  the  enemy  is  remarkable,  as  it  were,  by  the 
different  spokes  of  a  wheel  extending  from  the  hub  toward  the  rim,  and  this, 
whether  you  move  directly  by  the  chord  or  on  the  inside  arc,  hugging  the  Blue 
Ridge  more  closely.  The  chord-line,  as  you  see,  carries  you  by  Aldie,  Hay  Mar 
ket,  and  Fredericksburg;  and  you  see  how  turnpikes,  railroads,  and  finally  the 
Potomac,  by  Aquia  Creek,  meet  you  at  all  points  from  Washington ;  the  same, 
only  the  lines  lengthened  a  little,  if  you  press  closer  to  the  Blue  Ridge  part  of 
the  way. 

The  gaps  through  the  Blue  Ridge  I  understand  to  be  about  the  following  dis- 


146  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  tances  from  Harper's  Ferry,  to  wit:   Vestal's,  5  miles ;  Gregory's, 

13;  Snicker's,  18;  Ashby's,  28;  Manassas,  38;  Chester,  45;  and 
Thornton's,  53.  I  should  think  it  preferable  to  take  the  route  nearest  the  enemy, 
disabling  him  to  make  an  important  move  without  your  knowledge,  and  compell 
ing  him  to  keep  his  forces  together  for  dread  of  you.  The  gaps  would  enable 
you  to  attack  if  you  should  wish.  For  a  great  part  of  the  way  you  would  be 
practicably  between  the  enemy  and  both  Washington  and  Richmond,  enabling  us 
to  spare  you  the  greatest  number  of  troops  from  here.  When  at  length  running 
for  Richmond  ahead  of  him  enables  him  to  move  this  way,  if  he  does  so,  turn 
and  attack  him  in  the  rear.  But  I  think  he  should  be  engaged  long  before  such 
point  is  reached.  It  is  all  easy  if  our  troops  inarch  as  well  as  the  enemy,  and  it 
is  unmanly  to  say  we  cannot  do  it.  This  letter  is  in  no  sense  an  order. 

Yours  truly, 

A.  LINCOLN. 

A  prominent  public  man  who  knew  McClellan  as  an  engineer, 
before  the  war,  once  remarked  that  if  he  had  a  million  of  men  it 
would  take  a  million  of  years  for  him  voluntarily  to  move,  which 
number  is  probably  an  exaggeration  by  several  years. 

The  following  communications  of  General  Lee,  giving  his  inter 
pretation  of  the  battle  of  Antietam,  are  interesting  reading  : 

HEADQUARTERS,  SHARPSBURG,  MD., 

Sept.  1 8,  1862,  6. 30  A.M. 

MR.  PRESIDENT:  On  the  afternoon  of  the  i6th  instant  the  enemy,  who  you 
were  informed  that  day  was  in  our  front,  opened  a  light  fire  of  artillery  upon  our 
line.  Early  the  next  morning  it  was  renewed  in  earnest,  and  large  masses  of  the 
Federal  troops  that  had  crossed  the  Antietam  above  our  position  assembled  on 
our  left  and  threatened  to  overwhelm  us.  .  .  . 

In  the  afternoon  the  enemy  advanced  on  our  right,  where  General  Jones'  divi 
sion  was  posted,  who  handsomely  maintained  his  position.  General  Toombs' 
brigade,  guarding  the  bridge  over  Antietam  Creek,  gallantly  resisted  the  approach 
of  the  enemy;  but  his  superior  numbers  enabling  him  to  extend  his  left,  he 
crossed  below  the  bridge,  and  assumed  a  threatening  attitude  on  our  right,  which 
fell  back  in  confusion.  By  this  time,  between  3  and  4  P.M.,  General  Hill,  with 
five  of  his  brigades,  reached  the  scene  of  action,  drove  the  enemy  immediately 
from  the  position  they  had  taken,  and  continued  the  contest  until  dark,  restoring 
our  right  and  maintaining  our  ground.  .  .  . 

R.  E.  LEE, 
General  Commanding. 
His  Excellency  PRESIDENT  DAVIS,  Richmond,  Va. 


ril    MASS.     VOLS.  147 

1862.  HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

Sept.  20,  1862. 

SIR:  Since  my  last  letter  to  you  of  the  i8th,  finding  the  enemy  indisposed  to 
make  an  attack  on  that  day,  and  our  position  being  a  bad  one  to  hold  with  the 
river  in  the  rear,  I  determined  to  cross  the  army  to  the  Virginia  side.  This  was 
done  at  night  successfully,  nothing  being  left  behind,  unless  it  may  have  been 
some  disabled  guns  or  broken-down  wagons,  and  the  morning  of  the  igth  found 
us  satisfactorily  over  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Potomac,  near  Shcpherdstown,  when 
the  army  was  immediately  put  in  motion  toward  Williamsport.  Before  crossing 
the  river,  in  order  to  threaten  the  enemy  on  his  right  and  rear  and  make  him 
apprehensive  for  his  communications,  I  sent  the  cavalry  forward  to  Williamsport, 
which  they  successfully  occupied.  At  night  the  infantry  sharpshooters  left  in 
conjunction  with  General  Pendleton's  artillery,  to  hold  the  ford  below  Shepherds- 
town,  gave  back,  and  the  enemy's  cavalry  took  possession  of  that  town,  and,  from 
General  Pendleton's  report  after  midnight,  I  fear  much  of  his  reserve  artillery  has 
been  captured.  I  am  now  obliged  to  return  to  Shepherdstown  with  the  intention 
of  driving  the  enemy  back,  if  not  in  position  with  his  whole  army;  but  if  in  full 
force,  I  think  an  attack  would  be  inadvisable,  and  I  shall  make  other  dispositions. 

I  am,  with  high  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  K.  LEE, 

General. 

His  Excellency  JEFFERSON  DAVIS,  Richmond,  Va. 

On  the  8th  of  October  Brig.-(ien.  Nelson  Taylor  took  command 
of  Hartsuff 's  brigade,  and  he  produced  a  favorable  impression.  His 
assignment  was  dated  September  i8th. 

General  Hartsuff  was  dangerously  wounded  at  the  battle  of  An- 
tietam,  and  before  his  recovery  was  promoted  to  major-general  of 
volunteers  for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct. 

We  were  sorry  to  part  with  General  Hartsuff,  to  whom  we  had  be 
come  warmly  attached.  He  was  a  graduate  from  West  Point  in  the 
Class  of  1852.  When  he  took  command  of  our  brigade  he  was  in 
the  thirty-second  year  of  his  age,  tall  and  commanding  in  appear 
ance,  with  a  fine  soldierly  presence.  He  soon  learned  that  we 
needed  training,  and  the  cords  were  at  once  tightened,  and  no  excuse 
for  breach  of  discipline  was  accepted.  Little  by  little  the  men  real 
ized  that  while  he  required  prompt  obedience,  he  was  watchful  of 
the  comfort  and  health  of  his  men,  and  before  a  month  had  elapsed 
we  began  to  feel  a  pride  in  the  new  order  of  things.  As  week  fol 
lowed  week  our  attachment  strengthened,  until  he  became  the  idol  of 


148  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  his  brigade.      He  succeeded  in  establishing  so   high  a 

degree  of  discipline  that  the  brigade  received  the  en 
thusiastic  praise  of  General  Hooker.  On  the  night  of  the  battle  of 
Cedar  Mountain,  on  a  knoll  exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire,  he  was  a 
conspicuous  figure  in  the  moonlight,  in  plain  sight  of  his  brigade,  an 
example  to  every  man  of  the  bravery  that  becomes  a  soldier.  By 
his  coolness  on  that  night  he  inspired  in  his  men  a  self-reliance  that 
was  of  great  service  to  them  in  the  scenes  that  followed.  There 
was  no  general  officer  under  whom  we  served  that  excited  in  us  so 
deep  an  affection  as  that  which  we  felt  for  Gen.  Geo.  L.  Hartsuff. 


MA 


TUUiTKKXTH    MASS.      \'OLS.  149 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

l862-  WE  were  in  camp  near  Sharpsburg,  where  opportunity 

was  afforded  us  of  renewing  an  acquaintance  with  the 
October  26. 

people   or  that  town,  whom   we   met  in  August,   1861. 

Visits  were  made  to  the  battlefield  and  to  the  Dunkards' 
church,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  had  occurred  such  terrible  fighting. 
The  ludicrous  instincts  of  the  army  were  excited  by  the  suggestive- 
ness  of  the  name,  and  it  was  christened  by  some  wag  "  Drunkards' 
church  ;  "  and  it  became  so  fastened  upon  the  Society,  which  was  very 
little  known  to  the  world,  that  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  correct  the 
error  by  an  article  published  in  one  of  the  magazines  some  years 
after  the  war,  protesting  against  a  continuance  of  the  outrage. 

The  denomination  of  Dunkers,  or  Dunkards  as  it  was  originally 
called,  is  of  German  origin.  They  came  to  this  country  in  1719, 
and  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  In  the  beginning  they  were  a  simple 
peasant  people,  exclusive  in  thought  and  habits  of  life,  interpreting 
the  Bible  literally,  endeavoring  to  find  in  it  directions  for  every  act. 
Though  the  rule  of  their  church  was  an  eye  for  an  eye,  a  tooth  for  a 
tooth,  and  a  horse  for  a  horse,  the  Society  of  the  I  )unkards  was  noted 
for  the  honesty  and  integrity  of  its  members.  All  the  fashions  and 
follies  of  the  world  were  deliberately  shut  out  from  their  lives,  while 
they  erected  every  possible  barrier  against  its  influences  and  the 
advancing  spirit  of  the  age.  In  spite  of  all  their  efforts  to  the  con 
trary,  they  began  almost  insensibly  to  relax  their  discipline  by  the 
modification  of  some  of  their  practices.  They  found  that  innovations 
had  come  among  them  in  the  form  of  day-schools,  Sunday-schools, 
the  use  of  musical  instruments,  and  a  gradual  departure  from  the 
severe  plainness  of  dress  which  they  formerly  considered  essential, 
and  in  the  mode  of  wearing  the  hair  and  beard.  This  tendency 
naturally  met  with  opposition  by  the  older  members,  resulting  some 
years  ago  in  a  division  of  the  Society. 


150  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Dr.  Letterman,  Medical  Director  of  the  Army  of  the 

Potomac,  in  his  report  to  General  McClellan,  makes  the 
following  interesting  statement : 

The  surgery  of  these  battlefields  has  been  pronounced  butchery.  Gross  mis 
representations  of  the  conduct  of  medical  officers  have  been  made  and  scattered 
broadcast  over  the  country,  causing  deep  and  heart-rending  anxiety  to  those  who 
had  friends  or  relatives  in  the  army,  who  might  at  any  moment  require  the  service 
of  a  surgeon.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  there  were  no  incompetent  surgeons 
in  the  army.  It  is  certainly  true  that  there  were;  but  these  sweeping  denun 
ciations  against  a  class  of  men  who  will  favorably  compare  with  the  military 
surgeons  of  any  country,  because  of  the  incompetency  of  and  shortcomings  of  a 
few,  are  wrong,  and  do  injustice  to  a  body  of  men  who  have  labored  faithfully  and 
well.  It  is  easy  to  magnify  an  existing  evil  until  it  is  beyond  the  bounds  of  truth. 
It  is  equally  easy  to  pass  by  the  good  that  has  been  done  on  the  other  side. 
Some  medical  officers  lost  their  lives  in  their  devotion  to  duty  in  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  and  others  sickened  from  excessive  labor  which  they  conscientiously 
and  skilfully  performed.  If  any  objection  could  be  urged  against  the  surgery  of 
those  fields,  it  would  be  the  efforts  on  the  part  of  surgeons  to  practise  conservative 
surgery  to  too  great  extent. 

I  had  better  opportunities,  perhaps,  than  any  one  else  to  form  an  opinion,  and 
from  my  observations  I  am  convinced  that  if  any  fault  was  committed  it  was  that 
the  knife  was  not  used  enough.  So  much  has  been  said  on  this  matter,  that, 
familiar  as  I  am  with  the  conduct  of  the  medical  officers  on  those  battlefields,  I 
cannot,  as  the  medical  director  of  this  army,  see  them  misrepresented  and  be  silent. 

We  are  glad  to  give  this  publication,  because  we  believe  it  is  true, 
and  the  more  willingly,  for  the  opportunity  offered  of  expressing  our 
high  appreciation  of  our  own  surgeons,  whose  services  in  our  behalf 
deserve  recognition.  They  were  not  only  men  of  skill  in  their  pro 
fession,  but  were  courageous  in  battle,  and  kind  and  attentive  to  men 
needing  their  services.  In  this  respect  we  were  fortunate. 

We  cannot  forbear  mentioning  the  generosity  shown  by  the  people 
of  the  surrounding  towns,  who  came  on  to  the  field  the  day  following 
the  battle,  with  food  and  supplies  from  their  homes,  not  only  for  the 
wounded,  but  for  the  men  who  had  escaped  that  misfortune.  The 
people  from  Middletown,  Sharpsburg,  Hagerstown,  and  even  Han 
cock,  forty  miles  away,  were  inquiring  for  the  Thirteenth  Massachu 
setts  Regiment.  Hancock  sent  a  four-horse  team  loaded  with  food 
and  delicacies  for  the  wounded.  The  greatest  pleasure  of  all  was  to 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  151 

1862.  see  the  faces  of  our  friends  of  the  previous  winter,  and 

to  feel  that  our  service   among  them  had  left  no   un 
pleasant  impression. 

Guard-mounting,  inspection,  drilling,  and  reviews  took  up  most 
of  our  time.  When  not  so  occupied,  we  were  sleeping,  cooking,  or 
swapping  stories  round  the  camp-fire.  As  every  man  did  his  own 
cooking,  he  could  devote  as  much  of  his  spare  hours  as  he  wished  in 
the  preparation  of  choice  dishes  for  the  gratification  of  his  palate. 
Some  of  the  boys  showed  great  skill,  and  in  concocting  a  dish  of 
"  braxy-hash  "  could  make  Delmonico  turn  green  with  envy. 

The  morning  report  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on  September  30 
showed  present  and  absent,  including  Banks'  command  in  Wash 
ington,  303,959.  Of  this  number,  100,000  were  reported  ab 
sent,  28,000  on  special  duty,  and  73,000  present  for  duty  under 
Banks;  leaving  about  100,000  present  for  duty  in  McClellan's 
immediate  command. 

The  discrepancy  that  occurred  between  the  number  of 
Saturday,  troops  sent  to  reenforce  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
October  25.  the  number  reported  to  have  arrived,  so  annoyed  the 
President,  that  he  one  day  remarked,  according  to  his 
biographers,  that  "  sending  men  to  that  army  was  like  shovelling  fleas 
across  a  barnyard  :  not  more  than  half  of  them  got  there." 

At  last  the  patience  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  exhausted  at  the  intermi 
nable  excuses  given  in  explanation  of  McClellan's  delay,  and  he  sent 
the  following  despatch,  dated  at  Washington,  October  25,  4.50  P.M. : 

To  MAJOR-GENERAL  MCCLELLAN  : 

I  have  just  received  your  despatch  about  sore-tongued  and  fatigued  horses.  Will 
you  pardon  me  for  asking  what  the  horses  of  your  army  have  done  since  the  battle 

of  Antietam  that  fatigues  anything? 

A.  LINCOLN. 

After  which  the  army  moved. 

All  day  yesterday  and  to-day  it  rained  as  though  the 
Sunday,        spigot  had  been  pulled  out  of  the  clouds ;  a  shelter  tent 
October  26.  was  about  as  much  protection  as  a  sieve.    Notwithstand 
ing  the  rain,  at  4  P.M.  we  broke  camp  and  marched 
through  Sharpsburg  across  the  bridge  toward  Keedysville,  and  then 


152  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  to  the  right  up  the  mountain,  where  we  camped  for  the 

night,  near  the  crest. 

We  were  glad  to  move,  even  on  Sunday,  if  it  would  only  shorten 
the  war. 

At  8  A.M.  we  continued  our  march  through  Crampton's 

Monday, 

October  27.   Pass  to  Burkettsville,  where  we  camped. 

Got  away  by  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  marched  to 
Tuesday,       Berlin,  about  six  miles,  and  camped.     This  place  is  very 
October  28.    little  like  its  namesake,  the  capital  of  Germany.     The 
view  as  we  marched  down  the  mountain  was  superb. 

Remained  at  Berlin  all  day  yesterday  and  until  the 
Thursday,  afternoon  of  to-day,  when  we  marched  about  seven  miles, 
October  30.  and  camped  near  Waterford,  crossing  the  Potomac  on  a 
pontoon  bridge.  We  remained  at  this  place  until  the 
3ist,  allowing  the  officers  an  opportunity  to  attend  to  that  most 
agreeable  of  all  duties,  —  making  out  the  pay-rolls.  The  rank  and 
file  were  always  pleased  when  the  officers  were  too  busy  for  drilling. 

Started  at  9  A.M.  and  marched  seven  miles  to  Purcell- 
Saturday,  ville.  We  liked  these  short  marches,  particularly  as  the 
Nov.  i.  weather  was  pleasant  and  the  temperature  low. 

A  little  after  midnight  three  of  the  boys,  regardless  of  the  eighth 
commandment,  started  out  on  a  foraging  expedition,  having  pre 
viously  made  arrangements  with  the  picket-guard  to  let  them  through 
the  line.  Stumbling  across  fields,  floundering  through  ditches, 
scrambling  over  stone  walls,  they  finally  reached  a  farm-house.  All 
was  quiet.  The  occupants,  preoccupied  in  dreamy  slumber,  little 
suspected  that  beneath  their  windows  a  gang  of  Yankee  soldiers  were 
inspecting  their  premises  for  rebel  chickens.  As  it  was  very  dark, 
each  of  the  out-buildings  was  examined  before  the  right  one  was 
found.  Having  selected  what  could  be  easily  carried,  they  prepared 
to  return,  when  a  loud  screech  from  a  half-choked  hen  broke  the  still 
ness  of  the  midnight  air,  rousing  the  people  in  the  house  from  pleas 
ant  dreams  to  an  agonizing  reality  that  the  hens  they  had  nursed 
from  tender  chickenhood  to  old  age  were  being  conveyed  to  that 
pot  from  whose  bourne  no  hen  returns.  A  voice  from  one  of  the 
windows  was  heard  in  unmistakable  accents  of  alarm,  calling  upon 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  153 

1862.  them  to  stop.     Any  other  time  but  this  the  boys  would 

have  been  glad  to  do  so ;  but  when  duty  calls,  they  must 
obey.  They  succeeded  in  reaching  camp  without  their  absence 
being  discovered.  In  the  morning  one  of  the  party,  having  some 
duty  to  perform,  intrusted  his  plunder  to  a  comrade  whose  knowl 
edge  of  the  art  of  cooking  was  superior  to  his  own,  and  in  whose 
fidelity  he  placed  great  confidence,  to  be  cooked  for  dinner.  Re 
turning  an  hour  or  two  later  he  found  himself  the  victim  of  misplaced 
confidence,  as  the  cook  had  devoured  all  but  the  legs.  Having  been 
remonstrated  with  for  this  exhibition  of  selfish  eagerness,  the  cook 
replied,  "  Those  who  dine  with  me  must  be  on  time." 

During  the  day  some  of  Burnside's  troops  passed  us, 

among  whom  were  Hawkins'  Zouaves.  Did  they  know 
Nov.  2. 

it  was  Sunday  ?     The  weather  was  pleasant,  but  too  cool 

for  shelter  tents.  About  midnight  we  were  turned  out 
and  formed  in  line,  wagons  loaded,  and  other  preparations  made  to 
march,  though  we  didn't  move.  We  should  have  been  quite  as  well 
satisfied  if  we  hud  been  allowed  to  sleep.  Firing  heard  all  day  in 

the  distance. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  BERLIN,  MD.,  Nov.  2,  1862. 

III.     Brig. -Gen.  J.  B.  Ricketts  is  relieved  from  the  command  of  the  Second 
Division  of  the  First  Army  Corps.     He  will  proceed  to  Harper's  Ferry,  and  there 

await  further  orders. 

S.  WILLIAMS, 

Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 

About  i  P.M.  we  started  on  a  march  to  Bloomfield, 

Monday,        wm'ch    we    reached    after   a  round-about  tramp  of  ten 
Nov.  3. 

miles.     On  the  way  we  crossed  the  Aldie  Pike,  on  which 

we  paced  off  so  many  weary  miles  in  March  last.  We 
followed  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Blue  Ridge  mountains. 

Yesterday  we  marched  about  five  miles  from  Bloom- 
Wednesday,  field  and  to.d  five  miles  on  the  road  to  Rectortown, 
Nov.  5. 

camping  near  Middleburg.     The  road  was  greatly  ob 
structed  by  wagons. 

Friday,  Yesterday  we  marched  fourteen  miles  towards  War- 

renton.     To-day  we  continued  the  march  eleven  miles, 


154  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  camping  near  Warrenton,  it  being  the  third  time  we  had 

camped  near  this  town.  The  nights  were  cold,  and  the 
men  on  guard  suffered  very  much  in  consequence.  We  had  a  heavy 
snow-storm  to-day. 

At  4.30  P.M.  we  started  for  Rappahannock  Station, 

Saturday,     ^  as  the  head  of  the  column  took  the  wrong  road  we 
Nov.  8. 

had  to  retrace  our  steps,  by  which  action  we  were  on  the 

road  until  after  midnight,  having  marched  sixteen  miles, 
while  ten  miles  was  all  that  was  necessary.  Though  the  chaplain  re 
turned  to  the  regiment  two  days  ago,  the  fluency  of  our  remarks  was 
in  no  way  obstructed  by  his  presence.  "  The  sheep  will  stray  when 
the  shepherd  is  gone  "  is  an  old  but  trite  saying,  hence  the  habit  of 
profanity  which  possessed  some  of  the  boys. 

Snowed  hard  to-day.     At  6  A.M.  we  were  ordered  to 

ay>        "  fall  in,"  whereupon  we  stood  in  line,  sleepy,  tired,  and 
Nov.  9.  . 

disgusted,  in   readiness   to    support   the   cavalry  which 

made  a  dash  across  the  Rappahannock  River.  At  8  A.M. 
we  marched  to  the  river  to  cover  a  bridge  and  ford,  after  which  we 
were  sent  out  on  picket  duty  for  twenty-four  hours,  Company  K  being 
left  to  guard  the  ford.  As  the  river  at  this  point  was  only  twenty  feet 
wide,  conversation  by  the  enemy  was  plainly  heard  during  the  night. 

Our  brigade  was  temporarily  detached  from  the  corps  (First), 
which  was  encamped  near  Warrenton.  This  was  the  same  spot 
where  we  camped  on  our  retreat  from  Culpeper. 

The  order  removing  General  McClellan  was  officially 
Tuesday,  announced  to-day,  but  it  made  no  ripple  in  our  affairs. 
Nov.  ii.  We  were  not  affected  by  so  overpowering  a  love  for  him 
as  to  shed  tears,  though  it  is  possible  that  "  thousands," 
as  he  says,  may  have  found  it  necessary  to  relieve  their  overcharged 
feelings  by  flushing  out  the  sluiceways  of  their  optics. 

On  page  652  of  "McClellan's  Own  Story"  may  be  found  these 
words  : 

The  order  depriving  me  of  the  command  created  an  immense  deal  of  deep 
feeling  in  the  army  —  so  much  so  that  many  were  in  favor  of  my  refusing  to  obey 
the  order,  and  of  marching  upon  Washington  to  take  possession  of  the  govern 
ment.  My  chief  purpose  in  remaining  with  the  army  as  long  as  I  did  after  being 
relieved  was  to  calm  this  feeling,  in  which  I  succeeded. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  155 

1862.  That  he  believed  such  nonsense  seems  incredible,  yet 

it  is  his  own  statement,  twenty  years  after  the  event.     In 
speaking  of  the  scenes  attending  his  farewell  to  the  army  he  says  : 

They  are  beyond  my  power  of  description.  What  words,  in  truth,  could  con 
vey  to  the  mind  such  a  scene  —  thousands  of  brave  men,  who,  under  my  very  eye, 
had  changed  from  raw  recruits  to  veterans  of  many  fields,  shedding  tears  like 
children  in  their  ranks,  as  they  bade  good-by  to  the  general  who  had  just  led  them 
to  victory  after  the  defeats  they  had  seen  under  another  leader. 

Whatever  may  be  said  as  to  the  loyalty,  intelligence,  or  bravery  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  applies  with  equal  force  to  every  other 
army  in  the  field  ;  but  its  service  was  a  peculiar  and  a  trying  one.  Its 
position  with  respect  to  the  two  capitols  excited  at  Washington  an 
interest  in  its  movements  that  subjected  it  to  trials  and  disappoint 
ments  such  as  no  other  army  was  called  upon  to  endure.  It  was  the 
shuttlecock  of  political  advisers  who  were  ever  in  fear  of  the  safety 
of  that  city.  Success  was  generally  followed  by  an  order  to  retreat, 
or  "retrograding"  as  it  was  commonly  called  in  the  army.  It  fre 
quently  suffered  from  incompetent  generals,  and  its  movements  being 
special  objects  of  attention,  the  plans  of  its  commanders  were 
consequently  more  often  interfered  with  than  those  of  other  armies, 
while  "  On  to  Richmond,"  and  "  All  quiet  on  the  Potomac,"  became 
by-words  of  reproach  ;  but  General  McClellan  was  the  only  man  who 
ever  accused  it  of  possessing  sentiments  of  disloyalty. 

If  it  is  true  that  such  a  proposition  was  made  to  him,  it  was 
because  the  soil  was  thought  to  be  ready  for  the  seed.  The  impres 
sion  of  his  friends  must  have  been  correct,  inasmuch  as  he  felt  none 
of  the  indignation  that  a  loyal  man  would  have  felt  at  such  an  insult 
ing  proposal. 

McClellan  says  in  his  Memoirs  : 

They  brought  with  them  the  order  relieving  me  of  the  command  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  and  assigning  Rurnside  to  the  command.  No  cause  is  given.  I  am 
ordered  to  turn  over  the  command  immediately  and  repair  to  Trenton,  N.J.,  and 
on  my  arrival  there  to  report  by  telegraph  for  further  orders.  .  .  .  Of  course 
I  was  much  surprised;  but  as  I  read  the  order  in  the  presence  of  General 
Buckingham,  I  am  sure  that  not  the  slightest  expression  of  feeling  was  visible  on 
my  face,  which  he  watched  closely.  .  .  .  They  have  made  a  great  mistake. 
Alas  for  my  poor  country ! 


156  THREE    YEARS    7.V    TIIR    ARMY. 

1862.  A  good  many  people  have  been  puzzled  to  account  for 

McClellan's  popularity  with  the  army.  It  is  just  as  diffi 
cult  to  understand  why  sheep  follow  sheep  to  destruction,  or  ducks 
are  decoyed  on  to  a  pond  by  a  wooden  likeness  of  themselves,  —  lack 
of  reasoning  power.  Astute  politicians  know  how  easy  it  is  by  the 
use  of  a  little  method  to  excite  in  the  public  mind  an  admiration 
for  any  individual  they  may  seek  to  elevate.  The  history  of  every 
country  is  full  of  such  examples. 

It  was  a  shrewd  remark  that  an  old  German  writer  once  made 
when  he  said  that  if  he  could  be  allowed  to  write  the  songs  of  the 
people,  he  cared  not  who  made  the  laws.  Any  one  who  has  observed 
the  effect  of  music  on  the  average  mind  must  have  noticed  how 
easily  enthusiasm  is  awakened  by  its  influence.  For  months  we  had 
been  singing  the  chorus  — 

"  For  McClellan's  our  leader,  he  is  gallant  and  strong, 
For  God  and  our  country  we  are  marching  along," 

until  our  imaginations  took  such  flight  that  we  thought  him  the 
greatest  of  all  generals  and  the  only  man  who  could  lead  us  to 
victory.  The  music  of  this  song  was  easily  caught  by  the  ear,  and 
timed  very  well  with  our  marching.  Day  after  day  it  would  be  sung 
with  a  fervor  that  reminded  one  of  the  religious  enthusiasm  of  Crom 
well's  heroes,  who  sandwiched  their  fighting  with  songs  of  praise  to 
God.  Under  this  influence  and  the  panegyrics  showered  upon  him 
by  friendly  newspapers  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  army 
greeted  him  with  loud  demonstrations  of  enthusiasm.  Round  the 
camp-fires  at  night  the  greatest  admiration  would  be  expressed  in  his 
behalf,  though  frequently  an  enthusiast  would  be  interrupted  by  the 
"why"  and  the  "wherefore"  of  some  unimpressionable  fellow- 
soldier  who  chaffed  the  rest  of  us  for  losing  our  heads.  These  argu 
ments  were  sometimes  pretty  warm,  and  it  would  often  happen  at 
such  times  that  the  old  refrain, 

"  For  McClellan's  our  leader,  he  is  gallant  and  strong," 

would  be  started ;  against  which  it  was  impossible  for  reason  to 
make  any  headway.  There  was  one  custom  of  McClellan's,  however, 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  157 

1862.  that  did  more  in  the  Thirteenth  to  turn  the  current  of  our 

enthusiasm  than  all  the  arguments  that  were  offered  in 
camp  or  on  the  march.  Instead  of  taking  position  at  the  head  of  his 
army  when  it  moved  in  the  morning,  as  was  ordinarily  the  custom  with 
other  generals,  he  waited  until  it  was  all  in  line  on  the  road,  and  then 
would  ride  along,  preceded  by  an  officer  (presumably  one  of  his 
staff)  shouting,  "  McClellan  's  coming  boys  !  McClellan  's  coming  ! 
three  cheers  for  McClellan  !  "  whereupon  we  would  join  in  the  con 
tinuous  chorus  of  applause  that  greeted  him  as  he  passed  to  the  head 
of  the  column.  This  was  all  very  well  for  once  or  twice,  or  even  more ; 
but  when  it  was  found  to  be  a  regular  thing,  it  was  too  much  like  clap 
trap  and  humbug  to  suit  our  fancy.  Our  enlistment  in  the  army  was 
attended  by  the  sacrifice  of  almost  everything  but  our  independence 
of  thought,  and  to  this  we  still  clung  with  a  good  deal  of  tenacity. 
We  felt  that  our  enthusiasm,  like  the  hand  of  Douglas,  was  still 
our  own.  This  method  of  manufacturing  enthusiasm  was  pretty 
thoroughly  discussed  among  ourselves,  and  was  often  a  subject  of 
conversation  with  the  men  of  other  regiments,  until  we  were  pretty 
generally  of  the  opinion  that  the  enthusiasm  for  McClellan  was  more 
for  what  he  was  expected  to  do  than  for  anything  he  had  done. 

The    Twelfth    Massachusetts   was   transferred    to   the 

Saturday,      second    (Tower's)    brigade,  but  continued  in  the  same 

Nov.  15.        division  with  us.     A  division,  at  this  time,  contained  a 

less  number  of  men  than  did  a  brigade,  three  months 

back.     We  were  glad  the  change  didn't  mean  a  separation. 

There  were  added  to  our  brigade  the  Sixteenth  Maine,  the  Eighty- 
eighth  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Ninety-seventh  New  York  regiments. 

We  had  now  been  at  Rappahannock  Station  since  the 
Tuesday,  loth.  About  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  having  packed 
Nov.  18.  our  trunks  and  valises,  strapped  our  umbrellas  and  canes, 
—  those  who  had  them,  —  shouldered  our  tents  and  our 
guns,  we  marched  seven  miles  over  a  very  muddy  road  that  the 
pitchy  darkness  of  the  night  failed  to  improve,  and  then  camped  in 
a  briar  patch,  like  "  Brer  Rabbit." 

Last   night   while  the  regiment  was  on  picket,  a  seedy-looking 
specimen  of  the  "  Southern  chivalry  "  approached  the  bridge,  waving 


158  THREE    YE  A  US    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  a   handkerchief  to  attract    attention.     On    receiving   a 

promise  from  the  guard  that  he  would  not  be  held  as  a 
prisoner  he  came  into  our  lines.  He  introduced  himself  as  a  first 
sergeant  in  the  Third  North  Carolina  cavalry,  stating  that  he  was  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire,  had  lived  in  Lowell,  and  was  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  College,  also,  that  he  had  many  relatives  in  the  North, 
though  his  immediate  family  resided  in  Raleigh,  N.C.,  where  he  was 
pressed  into  service.  Having  learned  that  he  believed  in  the  good 
old  doctrine  of  "  Down  with  rum,"  he  was  given  Jvvo  drinks  of  whiskey 
and  a  cup  of  coffee,  all  of  which  he  put  down  as  became  a  man  whose 
principles  were  of  the  steadfast  brand.  Having  carried  on  a  pleasant 
conversation  with  him  for  some  time,  he  was  given  a  quantity  of  coffee 
and  allowed  to  return  and  serve  out  his  term  of  impressment,  what 
ever  that  might  be,  as  he  showed  no  inclination  to  change  masters. 
He  said  his  name  was  "Tuck,"  and  that  he  had  studied  law  with 
Colonel  Marston,  of  the  Second  New  Hampshire  regiment.  When 
the  war  broke  out  he  was  publishing  a  newspaper  in  North  Carolina, 
and  was  allowed  the  choice  of  going  to  jail  or  enlisting  in  the  rebel 
service,  and  he  chose  the  latter.  Whether  his  statements  were  true 
or  not,  he  appeared  to  be  a  well-informed  and  intelligent  man. 

Resumed  our  march  towards  Fredericksburg  in  the 
Wednesday,  rain  and  mud,  until  we  had  paced  off  eleven  miles.  On 
Nov.  19.  j.]ie  way  we  overtOok  our  regimental  wagons,  which 

started  ahead  of  us  night  before  last. 

The  amount  of  muscular  energy  required  to  lift  your  feet  with  ten 
pounds  or  more  of  mud  clinging  to  each  foot,  can  hardly  be  appre 
ciated  except  by  persons  who  have  a  knowledge  of  the  "  sacred 
soil "  of  Virginia. 

We  had  a  friendly  dispute  with  the  Ninth  New  York  about  pre 
cedence  on  the  march  to-day.  We  were  fortunate  in  having  it 
decided  in  our  favor.  It  often  makes  considerable  difference  in  the 
comfort  of  a  regiment  whether  it  is  ahead  or  not. 

We  left  our  camp,  near  Morrisville,  at  7  A.M.,  in  the 
Thursday,          . 
Nov.  20.        rairu     -1  he  roads  were  so  impassable,  by  reason  of  the 

mud,  that  we  were  obliged  to  take  to  the  woods  in  order 
to  make  any  headway.  We  went  into  camp  at  Stafford  Court  House 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  159 

1862.  about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.     Although  the  distance 

was  only  ten  miles,  if  made  direct,  it  was  a  good  deal 
more  by  the  roundabout  way  we  were  obliged  to  march.  We  were 
completely  tired  out,  and  disgusted  with  the  rain  and  mud. 

Laid  in  camp  all  day.  The  rain  held  up  long  enough 
Friday,  for  the  boys  to  partially  dry  their  blankets,  when  it  began 
Nov.  21.  again.  Nature  is  sometimes  too  bountiful  in  its  supply 

of  water.  The  days  and  nights  were  so  cold  that  it  was 
impossible  to  stay  in  a  "  shelter  "  more  than  an  hour  or  two  without 
getting  up  and  stealing  a  little  of  the  warmth  from  the  fires  which 
were  kept  burning  all  night. 

The  condition  of  the  roads  was  such  that  the  supply  trains 
reached  us  with  great  difficulty,  and  in  consequence  there  was  a 
scarcity  of  rations. 

We  received  from  six  to  eight  hardtack,  a  junk  of  fresh  meat  or 
salt  pork,  which  we  cooked  in  our  dippers,  and  an  allowance  of 
coffee  and  sugar.  Usually  three  days'  supply  was  given  out  at  a 
time.  This  was  taken,  by  the  provident  ones,  and  parcelled  into 
three  portions,  one  for  each  day.  Those  who  omitted  to  do  so  were 
often  obliged  to  beg  or  go  hungry  on  the  third  day.  One  of  the 
boys  was  offered  a  check  on  the  sutler  for  one  dollar,  for  ten  hard 
tack,  but  as  he  had  only  six  the  negotiation  fell  through.  Officers 
were  on  the  same  footing  with  the  men  in  the  matter  of  food.  A 
man  had  to  be  mighty  careful  where  he  left  his  haversack,  as  an 
empty  stomach  has  no  conscience. 

At  8  A.M.  we  left  Stafford  Court  House  and  started  for 
Sunday,  Aquia  Creek,  but,  as  had  happened  before,  the  brigade 
Nov.  23.  took  the  wrong  road,  which  error  was  not  discovered 

until  we  had  marched  two  miles  out  of  the  way,  where 
upon  we  were  obliged  to  return,  having  increased  our  distance  by 
this  piece  of  stupidity  four  miles.  We  reached  a  camping-ground 
near  Brooks'  Station  about  4  o'clock. 

Thanksgiving  day!  "For  what?"  was  asked.  We 
Thursday,  were  reviewed  by  Cieneral  Gibbon.  Some  of  the  boys 
Nov.  27.  were  airea(ly  at  work  making  themselves  comfortable  by 

building  huts. 


160  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  The  newspapers  which  we  received  from  home  were 

demanding  that  there  be  "  no  more  dilly-dallying  with 
the  rebels."  The  time  to  have  published  this  was  just  after 
Antietam,  not  when  the  army  needed  snow-shoes  to  walk  through 
the  mud. 

The  sutler  arrived.     This  was  the  first  time  we  had 
Saturday,      seen  him  since  October.     "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest 
Nov.  29.        an(j  on  garth  peace,  good  will  toward  men,"  was  a  remark 
we  heard  when  news  of  his  arrival  was  received. 

Changed  our  camp  half  a  mile  in  the  direction  of  Fal- 
Wednesday,  mouth,  to  an  opening  in  a  pine  grove.  Yesterday  we 
Dec.  3,  came  over  and  cleared  the  place  of  the  stumps  and 
debris.  A  more  uninviting  place  than  this  appeared  to 
be  could  hardly  have  been  found  when  our  eyes  first  saw  the  spot, 
but  the  whole  regiment  of  three  hundred  men  were  set  to  work  lay 
ing  out  streets,  so  that  before  we  left  it  presented  an  attractive  ap 
pearance,  and  was  well  sheltered  from  the  wind. 

A  large  supply  of  clothing  and  shoes  arrived  in  camp, 
Thursday,     bringing  with  them   comfort  and  joy.     The  boys  were 
Dec.  4.          busy  building  huts    and  making  themselves  as  comfort 
able  as  possible,  in  anticipation  of  winter  quarters. 

Boxes  arrived  from  home.  These  remembrances  from 
Saturday,  kind  friends  were  shipped,  by  mistake,  to  Newburne, 
Dec.  6,  N.C.,  and  from  there  to  our  present  location.  In  conse 
quence  of  this  long  voyage,  the  contents  in  many  of  the 
boxes  were  completely  spoiled.  After  weeks  of  joyful  anticipation 
you  lug  your  box  down  to  the  hut  to  be  opened  and  shared  with  your 
messmates.  "  Run  to  the  sutler's,  Jim,  and  get  a  hammer  ! "  — "  Oh, 
take  a  bayonet!"  —  "Look  out,  man,  you'll  spoil  that  bayonet!" 

"  D n  the  thing,  we  can  get  another  !  "  were  some  of  the  remarks 

that  were  overheard.  At  last  the  cover  was  off  and  the  contents  ex 
posed  to  view  —  ruined  by  the  voyage.  Think  of  the  disappoint 
ment,  and  say  the  angels  have  no  cause  to  weep.  Certainly  the 
angels  at  home  would  have  wept  had  they  known  the  result,  after  all 
their  thoughtfulness. 

On  top  of  this  disappointment  came  the  information  that  we  must 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  101 

1862.  prepare  to  march.     As  it  snowed  and  rained  yesterday, 

the  roads  were  in  no  condition  to  move  an  army  —  too 
slippery,  we  thought. 

About  one  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  goods  collected  by  the  chap 
lain  while  in  Massachusetts  were  distributed  among  us.  Among  the 
things  were  drawers,  gloves,  stockings,  and  handkerchiefs.  Hand 
kerchiefs  !  It  takes  a  woman  to  put  the  finishing  touch  to  a  gift. 
A  man  would  never  have  thought  of  that  convenience. 

For  the  last  three  days  the  wind  blew  a  gale,  and  was 
Monday        so  cold  that  it  was  difficult  to  be  comfortable,  even  near 
the  fires,  which  were  kept  going  in  the  company  streets 
night  and  day,  and  where  the  smoke  blew  in  every  direc 
tion.    One  of  the  boys,  who,  in  spite  of  hardships,  still  retained  that 
irresistible  desire  for  punning  which  occasionally  haunts  the  human 
breast,  remarked  that  he  never  knew  before  what  was  meant  by  a 
"  shiver  de  freeze,"  and  yet  he  lived  until  he  was  killed  at  Gettysburg. 

Marched  at  8  A.M.  across  Potomac  Creek,  about  three 

Tuesday,      miles.     As  the  ground  was  frozen  hard,  the  travelling 

Dec.  9.          \\-as  good.     This  was  so  much  preferable  to  mud,  that 

no  complaints  were  heard,  though  our  "winter  quarters" 

scheme  was  completely  "  busted." 

At  7  A.M.  we  broke  camp  and  marched  three  or  four 

Wednesday,  miles  to  a  point  near  the  Fitzhugh  place,  not  far  from 

Dec.  10.         where  we  were  on  the  lyth  of  May  last.     Sixty   rounds 

of  cartridges  were  given  to  each  man  for  distribution 

among  the  "  rebs."     It  was  hoped  that  none  would  be  wasted. 

We  were  'roused  at  3  A.M.,  before  "  Aurora  showed 
Thursday,  her  brightening  face,"  as  the  poet  says,  and  proceeded  at 
Dec.  ii.  once  with  preparations  for  breakfast.  At  4  o'clock  we 
started  over  the  crackling  snow  for  the  Rappahannock 
River,  which  we  expected  to  cross  upon  our  arrival ;  but  the  comple 
tion  of  the  pontoon  bridge  was  delayed  by  rebel  sharpshooters  until 
night,  so  we  bivouacked  in  the  woods  near  by.  Heavy  cannonading 
was  heard  up  the  river  at  the  town  of  Fredericksburg  all  day,  excit 
ing  the  curiosity  of  some  of  the  boys  who  went  up  there  to  see  the 
fun,  and  perhaps  give  a  little  advice  to  General  Burnside. 


162  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  The  mist  still  clung  to  the  river  and  the  lowlands  as 

Friday,  fae  army  began  to  cross  the  stream.  Our  brigade  was 
among  the  first  to  go  over,  and  upon  reaching  the  opposite 
bank  halted  for  further  orders.  As  the  mist  rolled  away 
and  the  sun  made  its  appearance,  it  was  a  magnificent  sight  to  watch 
the  troops,  many  of  them  in  new  uniforms,  marching  from  all  direc 
tions  toward  and  across  the  bridge  and  then  double-quick  up  the 
opposite  bank. 

In  crossing  a  pontoon  bridge  men  are  cautioned  not  to  keep  step. 
A  pontoon  bridge  is  not  a  very  substantial  structure,  therefore  any 
regularity  of  step  would  tend  to  sway  it  from  its  moorings. 

We  then  marched  along  the  bank  of  the  river  in  an  easterly 
direction  about  half  a  mile,  and  halted ;  whereupon  the  colonel  was 
asked  by  General  Gibbon  if  he  could  deploy  his  whole  regiment  as 
skirmishers  at  once,  and  being  promptly  answered  that  he  could,  he 
was  directed  to  do  so.  The  ground  in  front  of  us  was  a  flat  un 
obstructed  plain  of  considerable  extent,  where  every  man  of  the 
regiment  could  be  seen  as  he  deployed.  On  our  right  was  a 
Vermont  regiment  and  on  our  left  a  Pennsylvania  regiment,  also  de 
ployed  as  skirmishers.  These  three  regiments  constituted  the 
skirmish  line  of  the  Left  Grand  Division,  and  it  advanced  firing  at 
will  and  slowly  driving  back  the  rebel  skirmishers  toward  their  main 
body.  After  dark  we  arrived  at  the  Bowling  Green  road,  which, 
being  a  sunken  road,  afforded  us  protection  from  the  enemy's  fire. 
Here  we  remained  all  night  as  a  picket  guard  for  the  First  Corps. 
The  regiment  was  divided  into  three  reliefs,  each  of  which  was  sent 
out  in  turn  some  distance  beyond  the  road  and  within  talking  dis 
tance  of  the  rebel  pickets. 

During  the  night  the  enemy  set  fire  to  some  buildings  near  by, 
illuminating  a  considerable  extent  of  country,  while  hundreds  of  men 
of  both  armies  swarmed  to  the  fences  to  watch  and  enjoy  the  sight. 

All  night  long  we  could  plainly  hear  the  sound  of  axes  in  the 
enemy's  camp,  which  we  subsequently  learned  were  being  used  in  the 
preparation  of  obstructions  against  our  advance  in  the  morning. 

While  we  were  deployed  as  skirmishers  a  captain  of  one  of  the 
companies  observed  a  man  who,  up  to  this  time,  had  always  failed 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  163 

1862.  to  be  present  on  any  important  occasion,  endeavoring  to 

escape  to  the  rear,  when  he  called  out  in  a  loud  voice, 

"  C ,  get  into  your  place,  and  if  you  see  a  '  reb,'  SHOOT  HIM  !  " 

—  "Shall  I  shoot  right  at  him/"  whined  C .     A  few  minutes 

later  he  disappeared  and  was  not  seen  again  until  the  "  surgeon's  call " 
was  established  in  camp,  some  days  later.  An  incident  happened 
shortly  after  our  skirmish  line  returned  to  the  Bowling  Green  road  that 
afforded  us  a  good  deal  of  amusement.  The  boys  had  just  started 
fires  for  coffee  when  a  young  officer,  whose  new  uniform  suggested 
recent  appointment,  approached  and  with  arbitrary  voice  ordered  the 
fires  to  be  put  out,  at  which  the  colonel  exhibited  an  asperity  of 
temper  that  surprised  us,  who  had  never  seen  him  except  with  a  per 
fectly  calm  demeanor.  Our  experience  on  the  picket  line  had  taught 
us  how  to  build  fires  without  attracting  the  attention  of  the  enemy, 
and  we  liked  it  not  that  a  young  fledgling  should  interfere  with  our 
plans  for  hot  coffee.  The  colonel's  remarks  were  quite  sufficient  for 
our  guidance,  so  we  had  our  fires  and  our  coffee  too,  while  the  officer 
went  off  about  his  business. 

Another  incident  occurred  to  add  interest  to  the  occasion.  Our 
pickets,  as  already  stated,  were  so  near  to  those  of  the  enemy  that 
conversation  was  easily  carried  on.  One  of  the  rebel  pickets  was 
invited  to  come  over  and  make  a  call,  though  the  invitation  may 
have  appeared  to  him  very  much  like  the  spider  to  the  fly.  After 
some  hesitation  and  the  promise  that  he  would  be  allowed  to  return 
he  dropped  his  gun  and  came  into  our  line  and  was  escorted  to  one 
of  the  fires,  where  he  was  cordially  entertained  with  coffee  and 
hardtack,  probably  to  his  great  delight,  inasmuch  as  coffee  and  hard 
tack  were  not  so  abundant  in  the  South  as  to  allow  a  distribution  of  it 
as  an  army  ration.  "  If  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him  ;  overcome  him 
with  good."  Fill  him  with  lead,  good  lead,  was  what  we  tried  to 
do  most  of  the  time.  After  he  had  enjoyed  our  hospitality  as  long  as 
he  dared,  he  returned.  On  the  following  day,  while  we  were  halted 
at  the  Bernard  house,  who  should  be  brought  in  a  prisoner  but  this 
same  man,  who  was  greeted  with  shouts  of  welcome  and  friendly 
shakings  of  the  hand.  Some  years  after,  one  of  the  regiment,  while 
travelling  in  Ohio,  became  acquainted  with  a  man  tarrying  at  the 


164  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  same  hotel.     After  supper  the  two  sat  down  to  talk,  and 

very  soon  the  conversation  drifted  to  the  war,  when  it  was 
discovered  that  each  had  served  in  the  army,  though  on  opposite 
sides.  The  Southerner,  learning  that  his  new-found  acquaintance  was 
a  member  of  the  Thirteenth,  remarked  that  it  was  a  rather  singular 
coincidence,  for  "  I  was  entertained  by  that  regiment  once  at  Fred- 
ericksburg,  and  a  right  smart  lot  of  fellows  they  were  ;  "  and  then  he 
told  what  has  been,  in  substance,  related  here.  As  our  comrade 
was  present  at  that  battle,  and  a  member  of  the  company  that  did 
the  entertaining,  he  was  perfectly  familiar  with  the  facts,  whereupon 
mutual  expressions  of  pleasure  followed  and  an  adjournment  for 
"cold  tea." 

About  9  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  we  were  again  de- 
Saturday,      ployed  as  skirmishers,  and  ordered  to  advance  over  the 
Dec.  13.        fence  into  the  damp  clayey  soil  of  the  ploughed  ground 
beyond,  the  enemy  firing  and  slowly  retreating. 

"  If  your  officer's  dead  and  the  sergeants  look  white, 
Remember  it's  ruin  to  run  from  a  fight; 
So  take  open  order,  lie  down,  and  sit  tight, 
An'  wait  for  supports  like  a  soldier. 
Wait,  wait,  wait  like  a  soldier." 

Our  batteries  were  speedily  brought  into  position,  and  began  shell 
ing  the  woods,  while  the  enemy's  guns,  in  turn,  opened  upon  us. 
We  were  between  two  fires,  and  the  greatest  caution  was  necessary  to 
prevent  a  needless  loss  of  life.  Very  soon  we  were  ordered  to  lie 
down  as  close  as  possible  to  the  earth  in  the  soft  clay,  rolling  over  on 
our  backs  to  load  our  guns.  We  were  now  engaged  in  the  very 
important  service  of  preventing  the  enemy  from  picking  off  the  men 
of  Hall's  Second  Maine  Battery,  then  engaged  in  shelling  the  enemy, 
from  a  position  slightly  elevated  in  our  rear.  In  order  that  this 
battery  might  do  as  effective  work  as  possible,  it  was  ordered  to  point 
its  guns  so  as  to  clear  us  by  one  foot.  This  was  a  terrible  position  to 
be  in.  An  earnest  protest  was  sent  back  to  Captain  Hall,  asking  him 
to  elevate  his  pieces,  or  every  man  of  us  would  be  killed.  Suddenly 
a  shell  or  solid  shot  from  this  battery  struck  the  cartridge-box  of  one 
of  the  boys  while  he  laid  on  his  stomach.  Some  of  our  number 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  105 

1862.  crawled  out  to  where  he  lay  and  dragged  him  in.  He 

lived  about  six  days,  having  been  injured  in  the  hip. 
It  was  bad  enough  to  be  killed  or  wounded  by  the  enemy,  but  to 
be  killed  by  our  own  guns  excited  a  great  deal  of  righteous  in 
dignation. 

About  one  o'clock  a  general  advance  was  ordered.  Those  on  the 
left  moved  first,  then  came  our  brigade.  As  skirmishers,  we  ad 
vanced  in  front  of  our  division  until  the  firing  became  so  rapid  that 
\ve  were  not  only  of  no  advantage,  but  interfered  with  the  firing  of 
our  troops,  so  we  were  ordered  to  lie  close  to  the  ground  while  our 
troops  passed  over  us.  Toward  night  we  were  withdrawn  to  the 
Bernard  house,  which  had  been  turned  into  a  hospital,  and  re 
plenished  our  empty  boxes  with  ammunition. 

Our  losses  were  three  men  killed,  one  officer  and  twelve  men 
wounded,  making  a  total  of  sixteen. 

As  we  were  withdrawn  from  the  skirmish  line  to  the  rear  our  ap 
pearance  excited  a  good  deal  of  mirth  among  the  old  soldiers,  who 
knew  too  well  what  rolling  round  in  the  mud  meant,  for  we  were 
literally  covered  with  the  clayey  soil  that  stuck  to  our  clothing  like 
glue.  We  had  had  a  pretty  hard  time  of  it,  as  after  each  time  we 
fired,  we  turned  over  on  our  backs  to  reload  our  guns.  Hours  of 
this  work  had  told  on  our  appearance  as  well  as  our  tempers,  so  that 
when  some  of  the  men  of  a  new  regiment  asked  us  why  we  didn't 
stand  up  like  men  and  fight,  instead  of  lying  down,  we  felt  very 
much  like  continuing  the  fight  in  our  own  lines,  to  relieve  the  irri 
tation  we  were  suffering. 

To  be  thrown  out  as  skirmishers  in  front  of  a  line  of  battle,  the 
observed  of  all  observers,  seems  more  dangerous  than  when  touching 
elbows  with  your  comrades  in  close  order,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact 
it  is  not  generally  attended  with  so  great  loss.  It  is  a  duty  requiring, 
when  well  done,  nerve  and  coolness  on  the  part  of  both  officers  and 
men.  You  are  at  liberty  to  protect  yourself  by  any  means  that  may 
be  afforded,  such  as  inequalities  of  the  ground,  a  bush,  a  tree,  a 
stump,  or  anything  else  that  you  may  run  across  as  you  advance. 
The  fire  which  you  receive  is  usually  from  the  enemy's  skirmishers, 
and  is  less  effective  than  when  directed  toward  an  unbroken  line. 


166  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  You  are  supposed  to  load,  fire,  and  advance  with  as  near 

perfect  coolness  and  order  as  you  can  command,  because 
on  that  depends  the  amount  of  execution  you  are  able  to  perform. 
It  is  no  place  for  skulkers,  as  every  man  is  in  plain  sight,  where  his 
every  movement  is  watched  with  the  closest  scrutiny.  As  soon  as 
the  skirmish  line  of  the  enemy  is  driven  back,  the  main  line  advances, 
and  very  soon  the  battle  begins  in  earnest ;  whereupon  the  skir 
mishers  form  in  close  order  and  advance  with  the  rest  of  the  line, 
except  in  cases,  like  the  one  just  related,  when  it  was  necessary  to 
replenish  the  boxes  with  ammunition. 

We  had  acquired  a  good  deal  of  proficiency  by  constant  drilling 
for  many  months  in  this  particular  branch  of  the  tactics,  long  before 
we  were  called  upon  to  put  our  knowledge  into  practice.  We 
growled  a  good  deal  at  the  colonel  in  the  early  days  of  our  service 
for  his  persistence,  but  we  had  already  realized  how  valuable  a  lesson 
he  had  taught  us.  There  were  occasions,  as  will  be  seen  later  on, 
when  this  kind  of  service  was  very  dangerous ;  but,  as  a  whole,  our 
losses  on  the  skirmish  line  were  lighter  than  some  other  regiments, 
and  we  think  it  is  not  unfair  to  attribute  the  fact  to  the  thorough 
instruction  we  had  received.  It  was  the  old  story,  —  the  oftener  a 
man  does  a  thing,  the  better  he  can  do  it. 

So  far  this  month  we  had  suffered  from  the  cold  and  from  frequent 
snow-storms,  but  this  night  (the  i3th)  was  bitter  cold,  and  the  suffer 
ings  of  the  wounded  must  have  been  very  great. 

About  2  o'clock  this  morning  we  were  turned  out, 
Sunday,  drew  rations,  and  marched  to  the  left  to  support 
Dec.  14.  Doubleday's  division  —  no  more  sleep!.  Our  position 
was  behind  a  little  rise,  of  ground,  partially  concealing  us 
from  the  enemy's  sight.  One  of  the  boys,  spying  a  rebel  sharp 
shooter  in  a  tree  picking  off  our  men,  crawled  out  to  the  ditch 
beside  the  road,  and  with  careful  aim  sent  him  to  join  his  friends,  in 
paradise. 

The  ground  about  where  we  lay  was  strewn  with  railroad  iron  and 
shells  whose  imperfect  fuses  had  prevented  their  explosion.  During 
the  day  while  the  boys  were  lying  asleep,  making  up  for  lost 
time,  cries  of  "  FIRE  !  "  were  heard.  Upon  waking  we  saw  the 


TliniTEKXTIl    MASS.     VOLS.  1»I7 

1862.  blazing  grass  creeping  rapidly  toward  us.     There  \vas  in 

deed  cause  for  alarm,  for  if  the  fire  reached  the  unex- 
ploded  shells  that  laid  about  the  ground  in  our  very  midst,  a  good 
many  of  us  might  meet  with  the  death  we  hoped  to  escape.  It  took 
but  a  moment  to  take  in  the  situation.  It  was  a  question  of  sleeping 
with  our  comrades  or  "  sleeping  with  our  fathers."  Much  as  we 
respected  our  ancestors,  we  preferred  the  companionship  of  those 
about  us,  therefore  some  bent  their  energies  to  removing  the  shells 
out  of  reach,  while  others  devoted  their  efforts  to  putting  out  the 
fire,  which  work  was  finally  accomplished  without  any  one  being 
injured. 

The  following  account  of  our  doings  in  this  battle  is  taken  from 
the  report  which  Colonel  Leonard,  commanding  the  brigade,  made  to 
the  division  commander : 

In  obedience  to  orders,  we  crossed  the  river  at  the  head  of  the  brigade,  beyond 
the  Bernard  mansion,  when  the  regiment  was  deployed  as  skirmishers,  crossing 
the  entire  left  flank  to  the  river.  After  advancing  about  half  a  mile,  crossing  a 
ravine,  the  direction  was  changed  to  the  right,  and  the  left  wing  brought  up 
toward  the  Bowling  Green  road.  When  approaching  near  it,  the  enemy's  pickets 
were  discovered  posted  in  the  road.  They  slowly  fell  back  as  we  advanced,  and 
possession  of  the  road  was  gained  without  firing  a  shot,  covering  the  front  of  the 
brigade,  and  extending  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  left,  when  we  joined  the 
pickets  established  by  General  Meade's  division.  The  regiment  remained  in  that 
position  all  night. 

About  9  A.M.,  Saturday,  the  1 3th,  General  Meade's  division  changed  position 
to  the  right,  and  were  placed  with  the  front  resting  on  the  road,  when  I  asked  to 
have  my  left  wing  rallied  to  the  right,  which  was  granted.  Before  the  movement 
was  completed,  an  advance  was  ordered,  and  the  right  wing  was  moved  to  the 
front  about  five  hundred  yards,  into  an  open  field,  where  the  enemy's  pickets  were. 
They  fell  back  as  we  advanced,  exchanging  shots,  to  the  woods  in  our  front.  This 
ground  was  held  until  I  P.M.,  when  the  ammunition  was  exhausted.  At  that 
time  the  brigade  was  advanced  over  the  line  of  skirmishers  toward  the  woods, 
and  we  were  ordered  to  the  rear  to  get  ammunition,  when  the  engagement 
became  general.  The  skirmishers  were  assembled  on  the  right  and  left,  and 
retired  in  good  order.  I  remained  on  the  left  of  the  line  of  skirmishers,  covering 
Hall's  Battery,  with  four  companies,  until  there  appeared  to  be  a  general  retreat, 
when  I  marched  them  to  the  rear,  near  the  Bernard  mansion,  and  re-formed  the 
regiment  and  obtained  a  supply  of  ammunition. 

The  following  extract  is  from  a  report  made  by  the  adjutant  to  the 
State  authorities  of  Massachusetts  : 


168  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Enclosed  please  find  list  of  casualties  for  Dr.  Dale,  which  I  am 

happy  to  state  is  the  smallest  of  any  regiment  I  have  heard  of  in 
the  division.  The  regiment  crossed,  without  any  loss,  in  the  night  —  or  rather 
recrossecl  —  on  the  1 5th,  leaving  the  left  wing  in  front  of  the  rebel  lines  without  a 
man  knowing  we  were  moving.  All  the  pickets  came  safely  across  before  sunrise 
on  the  1 6th,  and  rejoined  us  on  the  march  at  an  early  hour.  When  we  first  crossed 
on  Friday,  the  I2th,  at  an  early  hour,  the  brigade  was  at  once  advanced  in  front 
of  the  division,  and  the  Thirteenth  deployed  and  advanced  as  skirmishers.  We 
finally  met  them,  and  they  at  once  began  to  retire  over  a  large  plain,  with  here  or 
there  a  clump  of  trees,  until  they  arrived  at  the  skirt  of  the  woods,  extending  a 
distance  nearly  covering  the  front  of  the  brigade.  We  got  a  fine  position  on  a 
road  fronting  them  with  a  ditch  parallel,  and  there  we  picketed  all  night,  having 
a  third  of  the  regiment  on,  and  relieved  every  two  hours. 

No  shots  were  exchanged  that  night  in  our  front.  Very  hasty  cups  of  coffee 
were  drank  that  morning  by  the  boys,  and  every  officer  and  man  in  the  regiment 
was  tired  enough  to  sleep,  had  time  been  granted;  but  before  noon  the  brigades 
were  formed  in  line  of  battle,  and  skirmishers  pushed  forward  to  the  brow  of  a 
slight  declivity,  the  rebels  retiring  into  the  woods,  and  the  crack  of  the  skirmish 
ers  began.  All  the  brigades  advanced  over  the  fence  and  ditch  and  remained 
lying  down.  Our  right  connected  with  Meade's  division,  and  the  left  with 
Doubleday's  Pennsylvania  Reserves.  The  right  of  the  brigade  was  the  Eighty- 
eighth  Pennsylvania,  who  broke,  and  came  near  breaking  up  the  next,  of  Jones'; 
but  General  Taylor  got  them  in,  and  then  we  remained  for  a  few  hours  under  the 
cross-fire  of  several  batteries.  Our  men  laid  very  close  and  kept  up  a  brisk  fire 
on  the  rebels,  who  gave  them  no  show,  except  by  the  flash  or  smoke  of  their 
rifles.  We  suffered  very  little,  as  the  shot  went  over  and  struck  in  the  rear  regi 
ments.  That  was  a  time  to  show  the  metal  of  the  men.  The  continuous  thug  of 
the  bullets,  as  they  struck  around  every  man  as  he  rose  up  to  fire,  and  the  fact 
that  there  were  less  than  three  hundred  men  in  front  of  three  brigades,  every 
man's  actions  to  be  seen  by  those  in  the  rear,  and  not  knowing  anything  but  what 
was  going  on  in  front,  proved  the  grit  of  what  remains  of  our  regiment.  At  the 
general  advance,  shortly  after  noon,  our  regiment  bej^an  to  fire  as  rapidly  as  they 
could  from  kneeling  position,  until  the  brigades  advanced  over  them  and  com 
menced  the  battle  in  earnest,  as  the  press  has  it.  The  Thirteenth  was  ordered  to 
rally  upon  their  reserve  of  two  companies,  and  sent  nearly  half  a  mile  to  the  rear 
for  ammunition,  which  they  got,  after  a  long  time,  and  the  brigade  had  mostly 
fallen  back,  and  formed  on  us.  By  what  miracle  our  men  escaped  no  one  can 
tell,  but  certain  it  was  that  on  our  recapitulation  to-day  (ijth)  the  regiment  can 
account  for  every  man  but  two,  who  were,  doubtless,  deserters,  as  they  were  not  in 
the  fight.  The  Twelfth  Massachusetts,  I  think,  passed  us,  went  into  the  woods, 
crossed  the  railroad,  and  met  with  a  murderous  fire,  both  from  their  masked  bat 
tery  and  the  rebels,  who  were  piled  tier  on  tier  behind  felled  trees  and  felled 
woods.  We  are  the  largest  regiment  in  the  brigade  (314  for  duty)  by  some  fifty 
men. 


THIRTEENTH    J/.-l.S.S.     VOLS.  !('><> 

1862.  The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the  report  of 

Brig. -Gen.  Nelson  Taylor,  in  whose  brigade  we  served  : 

On  the  morning  of  the  I3th,  by  direction  of  Brigadier-General  Gibbon,  com 
manding  division,  I  formed  line  of  battle  south  of  and  parallel  to  the  Bowling 
Green  road,  about  two  miles  south-east  of  Kredericksburg,  Va.  This  was  executed 
under  cover  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  then  deployed 
as  skirmishers.  My  command  was  arranged  as  follows  (Thirteenth  Regiment, 
Massachusetts  Volunteers,  deployed  as  skirmishers),  commencing  from  the  right 
of  the  line:  First,  Eighty-eighth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers;  second,  Ninety- 
seventh  New  York  Volunteers;  third,  Eighty-third  New  York  Volunteers;  fourth, 
Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  Having  the  line  formed,  I  was  then  (about 
9  A.M.)  ordered  to  advance  it  to  within  about  300  yards  of  the  skirt  of  a  wood 
covering  a  range  of  hills  immediately  in  our  front  and  the  grading  of  the 
Fredericksburg  &  Potomac  Railroad. 

In  the  execution  of  this  order  I  drew  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  whom  I  found 
strongly  posted  in  force  in  the  wood  and  behind  the  railroad  track.  The 
skirmishers  being  within  good  range,  a  lively  fire  was  kept  up  by  them  with  effect 
on  both  sides.  The  line  not  being  in  range,  I  caused  the  men  to  lie  down,  to 
avoid  as  much  as  possible  the  effect  of  the  enemy's  artillery,  which  had  opened 
upon  my  line  from  right  to  left. 

At  I  P.M.  I  was  ordered  to  advance  my  line,  which  I  did,  to  within  a  short 
distance  of  the  wood,  when  the  whole  line  became  briskly  engaged.  The  enemy 
seemed  to  concentrate  the  most  of  his  fire  on  the  two  regiments  on  the  left  of 
my  line  (the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  and  Eighty-third  New  York),  which,  from 
casualties  and  other  causes,  soon  melted  away,  when  the  Second  Brigade,  com 
manded  by  Colonel  Lyle,  was  advanced  and  took  their  places  on  the  left  of  the 
regiments  on  the  right  (the  Ninety-seventh  New  York  and  Eighty-eighth  Penn 
sylvania),  which  regiments  were  marched  a  short  distance  to  the  right  to  make 
room  for  and  unmask  the  advancing  line. 

The  troops,  generally,  composing  this  brigade  displayed  a  great  deal  of  bravery 
and  courage. 

Maj.-Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds,  who  commanded  the  First  Corps 
on  this  occasion,  complimented  our  brigade  for  having  performed  its 
movements  without  confusion. 

We  are  pleased  to  mention  that  Brigadier-General  Gibbon,  in  his 
report,  pays  a  handsome  compliment  to  the  Twelfth  Massachusetts 
for  its  gallant  conduct  at  this  battle,  and  they  certainly  deserved  it. 


170  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  Lieut. -Col.  William  F.  Fox,  in  his  book  of  statistical 

tables  of  losses  during  the  war,  selects  three  hundred 
regiments  as  being  what  he  esteems  "  fighting  regiments."  He  says 
that  this  number 

Includes  every  regiment  in  the  Union  armies  which  lost  over  one  hundred  and 
thirty  in  killed  and  died  of  wounds  during  the  war,  together  with  a  few  whose 
losses  were  somewhat  smaller,  but  whose  percentage  of  killed  entitles  them  to  a 
place  in  the  list. 

His  argument  for  this  arbitrary  designation  is 

That  in  the  long  run,  active  service  brings  its  many  scars.  Where  the  musketry 
was  the  hottest,  the  dead  lay  thickest;  and  there  is  no  better  way  to  find  the 
fighting  regiments  than  to  follow  up  the  bloody  trail  which  marked  the  brave 
advance. 

Notwithstanding  the  rhetorical  varnish  with  which  he  has  polished 
his  statement,  it  still  remains  a  piece  of  sophistical  argument.  It  is 
a  military  axiom,  or  ought  to  be,  that  war  should  be  carried  on  to 
do  the  greatest  possible  injury  to  the  enemy  with  the  least  possible 
danger  to  one's  self.  A  man  must  have  little  appreciation  of  the 
qualifications  necessary  to  constitute  a  "  fighting  regiment  "  to  select 
three  hundred  out  of  the  long  list  of  regiments  that  did  honorable 
service,  because  they  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  more  than  one  hun 
dred  and  twenty-nine  men  killed  and  died  of  wounds.  Two  regi 
ments  standing  side  by  side  may  show  equal  valor,  yet  meet  with 
very  unequal  losses.  Indeed,  there  were  instances  during  the  war 
where  regiments  showing  little  valor,  on  particular  occasions,  suffered 
most  in  their  losses. 

We  refer  to  this  matter,  which  is  not  very  important,  perhaps,  for 
the  reason  that  among  his  three  hundred  fighting  regiments  he  selects 
three  out  of  the  four  that  composed  Hartsuff's  brigade,  omitting  the 
fourth  one  because  it  did  not  come  up  to  his  standard.  It  is  fair 
to  say  that  three  better  fighting  regiments  did  not  exist  than  the 
Ninth  New  York,  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Twelfth  Massa 
chusetts.  It  is  also  fair  to  say  that  the  Thirteenth,  which  is  the  one 
omitted  from  Hartsuffs  brigade,  shared  with  the  others  their  battles, 
their  privations,  and  their  hardships ;  but  a  person  reading  Colonel 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  171 

1862.  Fox's  list  might  reasonably  infer,  if  he  gave  the  statement 

any  consideration  at  all,  that  some  disqualification  existed 
to  prevent  the  Thirteenth  from  being  classed  with  its  associates.  Our 
number  killed  was  one  hundred  and  twenty-two,  eight  short  of  the 
number  required  to  be  in  the  list  of  "  fighting  regiments." 

Remained  quiet  until  night,  when  the  brigade  received 
Monday,  an  order  to  detail  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  in  two 
Dec.  15.  parties,  for  picket  duty.  The  detail  was  made  from  the 
Eleventh  Pennsylvania  and  the  Thirteenth  Massachusetts, 
and  was  ordered  to  relieve  the  sharpshooters,  that  were  formed  a 
mile  to  the  left.  As  the  firing  between  the  pickets  ceased,  the  men 
one  by  one  dropped  off  to  sleep. 

About  2  o'clock  this  morning  we  were  awakened  by  a 
Tuesday,      cavalryman  who  notified  us  that  the  rest  of   the  army 
had    crossed  the    river,   and    that   we    must    hasten    to 
the  bridge  as  quickly  as  possible.     The  work  of  with 
drawing  the    troops  had  been  conducted  so    quietly  that  this   was 
the  first  intimation  we  received  of  what  had  been  going  on.     The 
knowledge  that  we  were  in  a  very  dangerous  position  lent  an  activity 
to  our  muscles  they  rarely  felt  on  approaching  an  enemy.      For 
tunately  for  the  success  of  our  movements  a  strong  wind  was  blowing 
toward  the  north. 

Though  close  to  the  river  we  were  two  miles  from  the  bridge,  and 
in  order  to  reach  it  we  had  to  make  a  detour  that  took  us  within  a 
hundred  rods  of  the  rebel  pickets.  A  good  deal  of  caution  was 
therefore  required  to  prevent  the  movement  from  being  discovered. 

At  the  bridge  we  found  (leneral  Franklin  waiting  to  see  the  last 
of  the  pickets  safely  across. 

The  pontoon  bridge  was  immediately  removed,  and  within  half  an 
hour  the  rebel  cavalry  were  at  the  banks  of  the  river  where  the 
bridge  had  been  fastened. 

We  marched  two  or  three  miles  and  then  went  into  camp  with  the 
brigade.  Having  pitched  tents  and  made  ourselves  as  comfortable 
as  possible,  the  men  gathered  round  the  fires  to  cook  their  coffee 
and  resume  discussion  of  the  battle  and  their  commanders  ;  which, 
by  the  way,  was  somewhat  severe.  Whatever  criticisms  may  have 


172  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  been  made  on  Burnside  on  account  of  the  foolishness  of 

this  battle,  we  were  ready  to  acknowledge  that  he  and 
his  officers  deserved  credit  for  the  skill  shown  in  getting  his  troops 
back  across  the  river  without  further  loss. 

The  following  extract  from  Palfrey's  story  of  Fredericksburg  states 
so  accurately  our  own  experience  that  we  venture  to  quote  it : 

Those  who  have  been  in  battle  know  how  much  and  how  little  they  saw  and 
heard.  They  remember  how  the  smoke  and  the  woods  and  the  inequalities  of 
ground  limited  their  vision  when  they  had  leisure  to  look  about  them,  and  how 
every  faculty  was  absorbed  in  their  work  when  they  were  actively  engaged;  how 
the  deafening  noise  made  it  almost  impossible  to  hear  orders ;  what  ghastly  sights 
they  saw  as  men  and  horses  near  them  were  torn  with  shell;  how  peacefully  the 
men  sank  to  rest  whom  the  more  merciful  rifle-bullet  reached  in  a  vital  spot;  how 
some  wounded  men  shrieked  and  others  lay  quiet ;  how  awful  was  the  sound  of 
the  projectiles  when  they  were  near  hostile  batteries;  how  incessant  was  the  sing 
ing  and  whistling  of  the  balls  from  rifles  and  muskets ;  how  little  they  commonly 
knew  of  what  was  going  on  a  hundred  yards  to  their  right  or  left.  Orderly 
advances  of  bodies  of  men  may  be  easily  described  and  easily  imagined,  but 
pictures  of  real  fighting  are  and  must  be  imperfect.  Participants  in  real  fighting 
know  how  limited  and  fragmentary  and  confused  are  their  recollections  of  work 
after  it  became  hot.  The  larger  the  force  engaged,  the  more  impossible  it  is  to 
give  an  accurate  presentation  of  its  experiences.  We  can  follow  the  charge  of 
the  six  hundred  at  Balaklava,  from  which  less  than  one  in  three  came  back 
unharmed,  better  than  we  can  follow  the  advance  of  Hancock's  five  thousand  at 
Fredericksburg,  from  which  not  quite  three  in  five  came  back  unharmed.  And 
Hancock's  advance  was  only  one  of  many.  "  Six  times,"  says  Lee, "  did  the  enemy* 
notwithstanding  the  havoc  caused  by  our  batteries,  press  on  with  great  determi 
nation  to  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  foot  of  the  hill,  but  here  encountering 
the  deadly  fire  of  our  infantry,  his  columns  were  broken,  and  fled  in  confusion  to 
the  town." 

There  was  a  strong  impression  among  the  men  of  the  Thirteenth 
that  General  Franklin  had  not  given  that  cordial  support  to  General 
Burnside  that  became  a  general  who  was  determined  to  win.  As  we 
retreated  to  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  crestfallen  and  disgusted, 
very  emphatic  expressions  of  condemnation  were  made  on  his  ap 
parent  lack  of  sympathy  with  Burnside's  movement.  The  following 
is  the  order  sent  to  General  Franklin  about  which  there  has  been  so 
much  criticism  : 


TIIIKTEEXTII    MASS.     VOLS.  173 

1862.  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

Dec.  13,  1862,5.55  P-M- 

Major-General    FRANKLIN,    Commanding  Left    Grand  Division,  Army  of  the 
Potomac  : 

General  Hardie  will  carry  this  despatch  to  you,  and  remain  with  you  during  the 
day.  The  general  commanding  directs  that  you  keep  your  whole  command  in 
position  for  a  rapid  movement  down  the  old  Richmond  road,  and  you  will  send 
out  at  once  a  division,  at  least,  to  pass  below  Smithfield,  to  seize,  if  possible,  the 
heights  near  Captain  Hamilton's  on  this  side  of  the  Massaponax,  taking  care  to 
keep  it  well  supported  and  its  line  of  retreat  open.  He  has  ordered  another 
column  of  a  division  or  more  to  be  moved  from  General  Simmer's  command  up 
the  plank-road,  to  its  intersection  with  the  telegraph  road,  where  they  will  divide, 
with  a  view  to  seizing  the  heights  on  both  of  those  roads.  Holding  those  two 
heights,  with  the  heights  near  Captain  Hamilton's,  will,  he  hopes,  compel  the 
enemy  to  evacuate  the  whole  ridge  between  these  points.  I  make  these 
moves  by  columns  distant  from  each  other,  with  a  view  of  avoiding  the  possibility 
of  a  collision  of  our  own  forces,  which  might  occur  in  a  general  movement  during 
the  fog.  Two  of  General  Hooker's  divisions  are  in  your  rear,  at  the  bridges,  and 
will  remain  there  as  supports. 

Copies  of  instructions  given  to  Generals  Sumner  and  Hooker  will  be  forwarded 
to  you  by  an  orderly  very  soon. 

You  will  keep  your  whole  command  in  readiness  to  move  at  once,  as  soon  as 
the  fog  lifts.  The  watchword,  which,  if  possible,  should  be  given  to  every  com 
pany,  will  be  "  Scots." 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JNO.    G.   PARKE, 

Chief  of  Sta/. 

(leneral  Franklin  says  that  in  the  state  of  facts  existing  when  it 
was  received,  "  General  Burnside's  order,  though  incongruous  and 
contradictory  on  its  face,  admitted  of  but  one  interpretation ;  viz., 
that  he  intended  to  make  an  armed  observation  from  the  left  to 
ascertain  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  an  interpretation  also  given  to 
it  by  both  of  my  corps  commanders." 

About  9  A.M.  we  marched  twelve  miles  to  Fletcher's 
Friday,          Chapel,  situated  on  the  road  to  the  Potomac  River,  and 
Dec.  19.         went  into  camp  on  land  of  Mr.  Bowie,  where  we  stayed 
until  January  20. 

The  camp  was  laid  out  with  the  usual  regard  to  company  streets, 
but  instead  of  relying  upon  tents  for  protection,  houses  were  built  in 
accordance  with  the  ingenuity  and  fancy  of  the  occupants.  Some 


174  THREE    YEARS    Itf    THE    ARMY. 

1862.  were  one  story  and  others  two  stories  in  height,  while 

others  were   mere    "dug-outs."     The  shelter  tent  sup 
plied  the  roof. 

In  building  huts,  the  following  method  was  generally  pursued  : 
The  work  was  begun  by  excavating  about  two  feet  of  earth  and 
laying  a  floor  of  trimmed  cedar  poles,  lining  the  underground  walls 
with  matched  green  logs  of  cedar  and  pine,  continuing  the  walls 
about  two  feet  above  the  ground.  On  this  frame  was  pitched  the 
tent,  the  size  of  the  hut  depending  on  the  number  of  occupants  ;  as 
each  man  contributed  one  piece  of  tent,  it  was  easy  to  distinguish  the 
number  of  tenants  by  looking  at  the  roof.  The  earth  that  was  re 
moved  was  used  to  bank  up  the  outside  of  the  walls.  In  each  hut 
was  built  a  fireplace,  around  which  we  could  sit  or  cook.  The 
chimney  was  made  of  green  sticks,  cob-house  style,  plastered  inside 
with  mud-mortar.  In  some  instances  barrels  or  cracker-boxes,  lined 
with  red  clay,  were  used  as  chimneys.  It  will  be  seen  by  this  that  a 
fair  degree  of  comfort  was  attained,  though  here  and  there  a  chim 
ney  smoked  with  exasperating  annoyance  to  the  occupants. 

This  camp  presented  a  striking  contrast  to  our  other  camps  this 
winter,  where  huge  log-fires  were  built  in  every  company  street, 
around  which  we  gathered  for  warmth.  Now  the  streets  were  almost 
deserted,  though  it  frequently  happened  as  you  turned  out  for  roll- 
call  in  the  morning,  that  your  sluggish  nature  would  be  awakened 
into  activity  by  a  snowball,  just  to  remind  you  of  school  days. 

Details  were  made  for  guard,  for  chopping  wood,  and  to  assist  in 
building  corduroy  roads,  while  picket  duty  and  drilling  came  in  for 
their  share  of  consideration. 

Belle  Plain  Landing  was  three  miles  away,  and  details  were  often 
made  to  go  to  that  place  for  supplies.  Apples  could  be  bought 
there,  three  for  twenty-five  cents.  How  many  apples  could  you  buy 
at  this  price  on  the  munificent  salary  of  thirteen  dollars  per  month  ? 
was  the  question  that  excited  the  mathematicians  of  the  regiment. 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION, 

WASHINGTON,  December  22,  1862. 
To  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC  : 

I  have  just  read  your  Commanding  General's  preliminary  report  of  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg.  Although  you  were  not  successful,  the  attempt  was  not  an 


THIRTEENTH    3M.S.S.     VOLS.  175 

1862.  error,  nor  the   failure  other  than  an  accident.     The  courage  with 

which  you,  in  an  open  field,  maintained  the  contest  against  an  en 
trenched  foe,  and  the  consummate  skill  and  success  with  which  you  crossed  and 
recrossed  the  river,  in  face  of  the  enemy,  show  that  you  possess  all  the  qualities 
of  a  great  army,  which  will  yet  give  victory  to  the  cause  of  the  country  and  of 
popular  government.  Condoling  with  the  mourners  for  the  dead,  and  sympa 
thizing  with  the  severely  wounded,  I  congratulate  you  that  the  number  of  both  is 
comparatively  so  small. 

I  tender  to  you,  officers  and  soldiers,  the  thanks  of  the  nation. 

ABRAHAM   LINCOLN. 

Christmas  came  but  no  stockings  were  hung  up  —  except  to  dry. 
On  the  30th  we  were  reviewed  by  General  Taylor,  and  on  the  same 
day  Maj.-Gen.  John  C.  Robinson  took  command  of  the  division,  to 
the  disgust  of  General  Taylor,  who  shortly  after  resigned. 


176  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

1863.  NEW  YEAR'S  day  brought  forcibly  to  mind  that  our  ser- 

Thursday,  vjce  of  tnree  years  was  about  half  completed,  though  the 
remaining  eighteen  months  seemed  a  long  look  ahead. 
The  regiment  had  been  reduced  from  1,038  to  less  than 
350  men,  the  number  now  mustered  at  roll-call.  Nearly  all  of  this 
reduction  had  occurred  during  the  last  five  months.  Counted  in 
ivith  this  reduction  were  the  men  who  were  detailed  at  brigade,  divi 
sion,  or  corps  headquarters,  performing  services  for  which  they  had 
some  special  qualification,  while  a  considerable  number  of  the  rank 
and  file  had  received  commissions  as  officers  in  other  regiments. 
Officers'  luggage  had  been  so  reduced  that  the  distinction  in  rank 
was  much  less  marked  than  during  the  early  part  of  our  service. 
Instead  of  one  hundred  men,  some  of  the  companies  had  only  twenty 
to  twenty-five.  The  officers  of  a  company  were  little  better  off  than 
the  men,  and  as  time  wore  on  the  difference  became  still  less,  while 
the  hardships  and  privations  increased,  as  will  be  seen  farther  along. 

Having  made  our  huts  as  comfortable  as  possible,  we  settled  down 
for  the  winter,  glad  enough  at  the  prospect  of  a  respite,  as  we  fondly 
imagined,  from  marching  and  fighting.  Some  of  the  boys  had  taken 
great  pains  in  the  construction  of  their  huts,  particularly  in  building 
fireplaces  and  other  conveniences  for  their  comfort  and  pleasure. 

As  long  as  the  sutler  remained  with  us,  and  our  credit  continued, 
we  managed  to  live  luxuriously,  as  compared  with  our  experience  of 
the  last  four  months.  We  could  always  procure  sugar  and  lemons 
from  the  sutler,  to  which  we  added  water ;  and  when  our  efforts 
were  successful,  a  little  stimulant,  for  the  "  stomach's  sake." 

We  had  work  enough  during  the  day,  chopping  wood,  policing 
camp,  guard  duty,  etc.,  to  keep  us  from  despising  our  leisure. 
Our  evenings  were  spent  in  reading  or  playing  cards,  or,  as  it  often 


THIliTKK\Tl[    3/.I.SN.     VOLS.  177 

1863.  happened,  in  dropping  into  each  others'  huts  for  a  chat 

or  to  hear  the  latest  news.  Newspapers  were  exchanged 
and  their  contents  discussed.  The  published  letters  from  corre 
spondents  were  always  read  with  interest,  particularly  those  which 
related  to  our  own  corps. 

The  qualifications  of  general  officers,  and  plans  of  battles,  were  also 
freely  discussed.  Songs  were  sung  and  gossip  repeated.  At  some 
of  these  camp-fires  curiosity  would  often  be  expressed  to  know  what 
had  become  of  those  shirks  and  bummers  who  believed  with  the 
Holy  Writ  that  "  a  living  dog  is  better  than  a  dead  lion."  We  had, 
like  other  regiments,  some  curious  specimens  of  this  genus,  and  our 
narrative  would  be  incomplete  without  relating  something  about  these 
patriots. 

There  was  one  in  particular  whose  blundering  ways,  when  recalled, 
afforded  a  good  deal  of  amusement.  He  was  about  as  much  of  a 
soldier  as  a  hen,  and  his  careless,  bungling  habits  caused  a  good  deal 
of  friction  in  the  daily  life  of  some  of  us.  No  soldier  likes  to  have 
his  calves  used  as  a  door-mat  for  the  feet  of  the  man  behind  him. 
The  champion  of  all  offenders  in  this  respect  was  a  man  who  was 
called  by  the  sweet  name  of  "  Molasses."  He  was  thrust  upon  us 
the  day  before  we  left  Fort  Independence.  No  one  knew  him  before 
he  joined  the  regiment,  and  only  one  man  sought  his  acquaintance 
afterward.  He  was  homely  in  appearance,  unshapely  in  form, 
awkward  in  gait,  and  as  ignorant  and  dirty  a  slouch  as  could  be 
found.  His  gait  was  like  that  of  a  man  who,  having  spent  his  life  in 
a  ploughed  field,  could  not  divest  his  mind  of  the  idea  that  he  was 
still  stepping  over  furrows.  He  was  about  fifteen  years  older  thaa 
the  rest  of  us,  and  his  manly  breast  was  undisturbed  by  a  single  thrill 
of  patriotism  ;  each  corpuscle  of  blood,  as  it  flowed  from  his  heart, 
carried  to  the  remotest  extremity  of  his  body  one  desire,  —  "Put 
money  in  thy  purse."  His  mercenary  and  penurious  spirit  prompted 
him  to  increase  his  income  by  the  sale  of  small  wares  to  his  comrades, 
who  despised  him  for  his  unsoldier-like  thrift.  He  was  generally 
absent  when  his  services  were  needed,  so  that  the  man  whose  name 
was  next  on  the  list  had  to  take  his  place,  which  always  happened 
when  the  duty  was  unusually  hard  or  dangerous,  as  occasionally 


178  T1IUEE    YEAES    AV    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  happened  at  the  end  of  a  long  march.     With  all  these 

failings  he  had,  to  a  remarkable  degree,  the  God-given 
instinct  which  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  qualities  of  the  war-horse,  —  he 
could  snuff  the  battle  from  afar,  and  took  advantage  of  this  gift  by 
absenting  himself  at  a  time  when  it  was  difficult,  afterward,  to  say 
absolutely  whether  it  was  cowardice  or  his  wandering  spirit  that 
prompted  him  to  "  light  out,"  as  could  have  been  determined  if  he 
had  waited  until  the  last  moment.  Just  before  we  went  into  the 
battle  of  Manassas,  having  been  too  closely  watched  to  enable  him 
to  disappear,  he  stopped  to  tie  his  shoe,  and  never  returned  to  the 
regiment  again.  When  we  were  small  boys  and  saw  the  troops  in  fine 
uniforms  marching  through  the  streets,  it  seemed  a  glorious  thing  to 
be  a  soldier.  In  our  youthful  imagination  every  man  who  carried  a 
gun  was  a  hero,  but  after  having  one's  heels  trod  on  and  the  calves 
of  one's  legs  kicked  by  the  muddy  feet  of  a  man  who  had  no  rhythm 
in  his  soul,  there  didn't  seem  to  be  quite  so  much  of  a  heroic  halo 
surrounding  the  soldier  as  we  had  pictured.  Therefore  we  were 
glad  he  never  came  back. 

Another  specimen  we  had  was  "  Smoothbore."  If  there  was 
a  man  in  the  regiment  who  had  fewer  instincts  of  cleanliness 
than  this  man  he  will  lose  the  opportunity  of  being  recorded  in 
these  pages.  Smoothbore  acquired  his  sobriquet  from  that  antiquated 
and  useless  arm  called  the  smooth-bore  musket.  The  likeness  of  the 
two,  so  far  as  usefulness  went,  was  such  that  the  name  stuck  to  our 
hero.  He  was  bitterly  opposed  to  the  use  of  water  in  any  way  but 
internally.  The  men  of  his  company,  with  the  authority  of  the  cap 
tain,  once  undertook  to  wash  him,  and  it  required  a  considerable 
force  to  carry  out  this  laudable  purpose.  When  his  clothes  were  re 
moved  he  was  found  to  be  as  dirty  and  lousy  as  a  saint  under  pen 
ance.  Having  succeeded  in  getting  him  into  the  brook,  they 
procured  some  flat  stones  and  scrubbed  him  until  he  looked  like  a 
boiled  lobster.  In  consequence  of  his  struggling,  —  so  the  boys  ex 
plained  to  the  captain  in  answer  to  Smoothbore's  complaint  of  hard 
usage,  —  some  of  his  hide,  that  was  too  thin  to  stand  the  chafing, 
came  off  with  the  dirt.  It  was  a  useless  piece  of  work  they  did,  for 
the  experience  intensified  his  prejudice  against  the  use  of  water,  which 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  179 

1863.  he  never  after  used  externally.     Just  before  the  battle  of 

Manassas  he  deserted,  carrying  with  him  an  inexhaustible 
supply  of  the  pediculus  vestimenti.  He  was  so  melancholy  and  self 
ish  that  we  were  glad  he  also  had  departed. 

We  had  great  pleasure  in  recalling  these  old  heroes,  who  had 
escaped  death  so  many  times  by  keeping  out  of  danger. 

The  "  shirk  "  whose  history  we  are  about  to  relate  did  not  desert. 
He  neither  "  struck  for  the  flag  "  nor  "  struck  for  home."  He  stayed 
with  us  for  three  years,  because  it  required  more  energy  than  he 
possessed  to  desert,  and  because  he  led  a  peaceful  and  contented  life 
in  spite  of  his  being  in  the  army.  He  was  one  of  those  taken  into 
the  regiment  to  fill  up  the  quota  of  a  company  as  we  were  about 
leaving  home.  Though  an  enlisted  man  he  never  did  any  duty  as 
such,  preferring  the  primrose  paths  of  a  pampered  menial  where 
there  was  plenty  to  eat  and  little  to  do.  He  must  have  had  a  good 
deal  of  shrewdness  to  have  succeeded  for  three  years  in  escaping  the 
duties  for  which  he  enlisted.  He  could  whine  to  perfection,  and 
very  early  in  his  service  he  acquired  a  reputation  for  being  absolutely 
worthless  for  any  duty  requiring  courage  or  exertion  —  the  position 
of  hostler  filling  his  ambition.  At  one  time,  being  out  of  a  job  as 
hostler,  he  sought  admission  to  the  hospital ;  but  the  doctors  would 
not  have  him  occupying  a  bed,  nor  would  they  employ  him  in  any 
capacity,  sending  him  back  to  his  company.  He  was  useless  in  his 
company,  as  he  was  elsewhere,  so  he  was  turned  out  and  told  to  "  Go  to 
the  devil ;  go  anywhere  ;  but  you  can't  stay  with  us."  He  became 
attached  to  the  wagon- train,  where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  service, 
doing  as  little  as  possible. 

Soon  after  the  regiment  was  discharged,  concluding  that  he  was 
unfitted  for  the  active  duties  of  a  man  who  had  to  earn  his  living  by 
the  sweat  of  his  brow,  he  entered  that  haven  of  rest  called  the  alms- 
house.  This  step  was  not  taken,  however,  until  he  had  thoroughly 
tested  the  capacity  of  his  friends  in  supporting  him. 

He  had  superior  qualifications  for  a  pauper's  life,  —  contentment, 
perfect  health,  a  good  appetite,  and  excellent  digestive  organs.  Un 
fortunately  for  him  his  appetite  was  a  little  too  good,  as  it  excited 
the  animosity  of  the  cook,  and  through  her  the  selectmen  of  the  town. 


THREE    YEARS    7Ar    THE    AHMY. 

1863.  It  often  happens  in  country  towns,  when  the  question 

of  reducing  the  taxes  is  agitated,  that  the  selectmen  call 
round  to  the  almshouse  to  see  if  the  butcher's  bills  cannot  be  trimmed 
down  a  little,  for,  as  Ben.  Franklin  said,  "  A  penny  saved  is  a  penny 
earned."  Now,  when  they  learned  what  an  appetite  our  old  hero 
had,  and  listened  to  the  grumbling  of  the  cook,  they  determined  to 
bounce  him  out  of  his  comfortable  nest ;  but  to  turn  an  old  soldier 
out  into  the  cold  world  meant  something  in  a  community  where 
every  soldier  was  a  hero.  The  selectmen  knew  the  women  would 
have  made  it  hot  for  them  if  they  tried  it.  So  they  reflected  ;  and 
in  a  quiet  way  they  began  to  question  him  about  his  past  life,  and  in 
what  towns  he  had  paid  taxes,  until  they  discovered  a  flaw  in  his 
settlement  in  the  fact  that  his  enlistment  was  credited  to  another 
town.  They  could  hardly  repress  their  fiendish  glee  at  this  dis 
covery,  and  promptly  notified  the  other  town  of  the  fact,  with  the 
request  that  they  must  provide  for  him.  Then  followed  a  long  dis 
pute,  which  ended,  at  last,  by  his  removal.  The  authorities  of  the 
town  to  which  he  was  removed  were  dismayed  at  the  prospect  of 
supporting  him  in  idleness  for  long  years  to  come,  and  would  have 
rebelled  but  for  the  sentiment  which  the  women  of  this  town  kept 
alive  for  the  old  soldier,  as  they  do  in  other  towns  in  the  State,  with 
out  regard  to  his  worth  as  such. 

After  the  matter  was  finally  settled  the  question  arose  as  to 
whether  or  not  some  income  might  be  obtained  toward  his  support ; 
whereupon  the  authorities  paid  his  expenses  to  Boston  to  hunt  up 
some  of  his  old  comrades  to  see  if  they  couldn't  aid  him  in  procur 
ing  a  pension,  and  this  is  how  our  interest  in  him  was  renewed.  We 
were  much  interested  when  he  informed  us  of  the  purpose  of  his 
visit ;  but  a  disability  must  be  found  before  papers  could  be  made 
out.  This  was  a  difficult  thing  to  do,  as  his  three  years  of  service 
had  been  passed  in  continuous  tranquillity,  remote  from  danger.  He 
was  asked  to  mention  some  accident  or  sickness  that  by  a  possible 
stretch  of  the  imagination  might  be  construed  as  having  affected 
him.  When  asked  if  he  ever  had  any  pains  he  said,  "  A  year  or  two 
ago  I  had  a  pain  in  my  back."  —  "  What  do  you  think  was  the  cause 
of  that  ?  "  we  inquired.  This  was  a  poser.  Though  he  couldn't  look 


THIRTEENTH    3M.S.S.     VOLS.  181 

1863.  into  the  future,  he  still  held  his  grip  on  the  past ;  so  he 

slowly  carried  his  mind  back  twenty-four  years  to  a  day 
when  riding  on  the  ammunition  wagon,  he  recalled  that  it  suddenly 
stopped,  throwing  him  forward  with  his  hands  resting  on  the  haunches 
of  the  mule  in  front  of  him,  from  which  position  he  allowed  that 
he  pushed  himself  back  into  his  seat  without  difficulty.  He  felt 
nothing  at  the  time,  nor,  indeed,  until  twenty-two  years  had  passed. 
What  an  ideal  life  this  man  must  have  led,  that  it  was  necessary  to 
go  back  twenty-two  years  to  find  cause  for  a  passing  pain  in  the  back  ! 
We  looked  at  this  hero,  as  his  mind  went  back  to  the  stirring  scenes 
of  the  war,  and  noticed  how  gently  time  had  dealt  with  him.  His 
fat  round  body  and  rosy  cheeks  showed  the  value  of  regular  habits, 
with  plenty  of  food  and  sleep,  and  nothing  to  do.  It  was  hard  lines 
for  us  to  do  it,  but  we  broke  it  to  him  as  gently  as  possible  by  telling 
him  that,  instead  of  the  government  owing  him  anything,  he  owed  the 
government  a  pension.  He  then  left  us  and  returned  to  the  alms- 
house.  The  case  didn't  end  here,  for  a  committee  of  the  selectmen 
came  to  Boston  at  the  town's  expense,  to  interview  members  of  his 
regiment  and  to  urge  his  claim,  saying  it  was  the  duty  of  his  old 
comrades  to  assist  in  obtaining  a  pension,  which  would  help  the  town 
in  its  support  of  him.  These  worthy  men,  after  listening  to  our  re 
fusal,  and  our  statement  that  he  was  a  disgrace  to  the  regiment,  had 
the  effrontery  to  say  it  was  our  duty  to  support  him,  and  lectured  us 
on  our  lack  of  feeling  for  an  old  comrade-in-arms,  adding  that  they 
should  always  remember  what  a  contemptible  set  of  men  composed 
the  Thirteenth  Regiment. 

As  long  as  there  are  women  in  that  town,  we  needn't  worry  about 
his  support,  for  they  will  look  after  this  old  hero,  and  shower  upon 
him  all  the  blessings  their  tender  sympathies  can  suggest. 

After  we  have  all  joined  "the  innumerable  caravan  "  that  Mr.  Bryant 
wrote  about,  he  will  still  be  living  —  probably  the  last  surviving  mem 
ber  of  his  regiment.  By  that  time  the  women  of  his  town  will  cry, 
"  For  shame .'  to  keep  an  old  scarred  veteran  in  the  almshouse  ! " 
They  will  possibly  hold  an  annual  "  fair  "  to  provide  money  for  his 
maintenance  in  some  respectable  family  where  he  can  have  comfort 
and  liberty.  On  festive  occasions  he  will  be  trotted  out  as  the  brave 


182  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  soldier  who  made  great  sacrifices  that  the  country  might 

be  saved.  On  Memorial  day  he  will  be  carted  round  in 
a  carriage,  and  the  orator  will  point  to  him  with  feelings  of  pride  as 
"  a  glorious  old  relic,  whose  deeds  of  valor  in  the  War  of  the  Re 
bellion  shed  a  lustre  on  the  town,"  and  the  crowd  will  respond  with 
long-continued  applause.  When  he  is  ninety  years  of  age,  perhaps 
some  giddy  young  woman,  burning  with  desire  to  be  a  soldier's  bride, 
will  marry  him,  and  in  the  year  two  thousand  and  something  she 
may  be  drawing  a  widow's  pension  for  services  her  husband  was  sup 
posed  to  have  rendered  in  the  nineteenth  century.  Stranger  things 
than  these  have  happened. 

When  old  soldiers  see  the  tender  solicitude  that  women  sometimes 
display  for  the  shirks  and  bummers,  those  lilies  of  the  army  who 
toiled  not,  neither  did  they  fight,  it  provokes  some  rather  unchari 
table  remarks,  not  at  the  motive  which  prompts  the  kindness,  but  the 
useless  waste  of  sympathy  showered  on  such  specimens.  If  this 
statement  meets  the  eyes  of  one  of  these  tender-hearted  women,  she 
will  be  shocked,  of  course.  When  we  see  these  fellows  sailing  along 
under  false  colors,  the  recipients  of  charity  intended  for  worthy  but 
unfortunate  soldiers,  we  cannot  help  thinking  of  those  old  days  when 
every  man  was  expected  to  do  his  duty,  particularly  when  that  duty 
was  fighting,  as.Farragut  said,  and  recalling  how  ingenious  were  some 
of  the  devices  practised  by  these  fellows  to  rid  themselves  of  disa 
greeable  or  dangerous  service.  The  surgeons  of  the  army  could  tell 
some  funny  stories  of  their  experience,  and  the  officers  and  men  of 
every  company  could  relate  some  also.  It  is  not  a  pleasant  thing  to 
criticise  exhibitions  of  well-meant,  though  indiscriminate  generosity ; 
but  it  is  a  fact  that  every  man  had  a  record  of  some  kind,  with  which 
the  members  of  his  regiment  are  familiar,  and  it  ought  not  to  be  a 
very  difficult  thing  to  obtain  the  facts.  These  men  should  be  weeded 
out  from  association  with  deserving  ones. 

In  a  regiment  of  men  you  will  meet  all  shades  of  character. 
The  generous  and  the  frugal,  the  obliging  and  the  surly,  the  con 
scientious  and  the  unscrupulous,  the  brutal  and  the  gentle,  the 
cheerful  and  the  dejected,  are  all  bunched  together  in  closest 
intimacy.  Some  may  be  found  full  of  merriment,  overcoming  trials 


TIllKTEEXTII    MASK.     VOLS. 

1863.  and    privations   with   abundance  of  good-nature,  while 

others  are  so  despondent  that  nothing  ever  seems  right. 
Men  are  to  be  found  who  are  always  ready  to  do  a  kind  action,  and 
others  who  will  impose  on  the  good-natured  to  the  utmost  limit.  The 
varnish  of  politeness  and  affability  which  one  acquires  by  mingling 
with  society  soon  disappears  from  a  man  who  takes  his  place  in  the 
rank  and  file  of  an  army.  So  long  as  he  does  his  duty  he  may  be  as 
disagreeable  as  he  pleases,  without  violating  an  army  regulation. 
Education  and  bringing  up  may  assist  in  concealing  one's  natural  in 
stincts  for  a  while,  but  in  the  end  a  soldier  stands  with  his  comrades 
for  just  what  he  is.  If  a  man's  inclination  is  to  bully,  it  will  show 
itself  in  a  thousand  ways ;  if  he  is  selfish,  it  will  be  discovered  at  the 
first  drawing  of  rations  ;  if  lazy,  at  the  first  call  of  duty ;  if  he  lacks 
courage,  he  will  endeavor  to  shirk  the  first  danger  that  threatens. 
You  see  human  nature  just  as  it  exists  where  men  are  unrestrained  by 
any  civilizing  influence.  Among  the  human  parasites  that  infest  the 
army  was  the  soldier  who  was  forever  sponging  on  his  fellows.  Suc 
cess  as  a  bummer  varied  according  to  the  abilities  and  ingenuity  of 
the  individual,  but,  as  a  rule,  he  failed  when  his  reputation  as  such 
became  established.  We  had  a  man  in  marked  contrast  to  the 
characters  we  have  just  described,  whose  merits  were  so  superior  to 
any  man  of  his  class  we  ever  saw,  that  it  is  not  extravagant  to  say 
that  he  was  equalled  by  few  and  surpassed  by  none.  He  was  the 
most  agreeably  lazy  man  we  ever  saw,  hating  work  as  intensely  as  a 
tramp.  There  was  only  one  duty  he  would  do  without  urging,  and 
that  was  fighting.  He  had  no  lack  of  courage,  was  handsome 
and  intelligent,  well  educated,  a  fine  singer,  of  a  genial  disposition, 
and  to  crown  all,  was  gifted  with  as  persuasive  a  tongue  as  any  mor 
tal  ever  had.  Until  the  beginning  of  the  war  his  father  had  been  a 
man  of  wealth,  and  consequently  our  hero  was  never  required  to  do 
anything  for  which  he  had  a  disinclination.  Beginning  at  Fort 
Independence,  he  continued  through  his  service  to  borrow  from 
everybody  that  had  a  dollar  which  could  be  inveigled,  and  never 
thought  of  returning  it,  though  his  temperament  was  so  sanguine 
that  he  easily  convinced  his  creditors,  as  he  did  himself,  that  he 
could  shortly  pay  the  loan.  Additional  loans  were  often  received 


184  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    A II MY. 

1863.  from  creditors  who  protested  in  advance  that  he  had  bor 

rowed  their  last  dollar.  You  might  be  provoked  with  him 
for  not  returning  the  borrowed  shekels,  and  scold  him  well  for  the  neg 
lect,  but  he  would  appear  so  genuinely  sorry  at  the  delay  that  you  felt 
like  offering  an  apology  for  reminding  him  of  his  obligation.  He  was 
a  pleasant  addition  to  any  group,  and  a  place  was  always  cheerfully 
made  for  him  round  a  fire.  He  had  an  extensive  acquaintance  with 
books,  and  could  argue  without  offence,  acknowledging  the  superiority 
of  his  opponent's  argument  with  an  amicability  that  was  charming. 
He  never,  like  most  of  us,  received  a  box  from  home,  yet  always  ob 
tained  a  liberal  share  of  others'.  He  never  carried  a  pipe,  tobacco,  or 
match,  yet  he  always  had  his  smoke,  even  when  tobacco  was  very  scarce  ; 
and  to  top  all,  he  generally  found  some  one  to  do  any  disagreeable  duty 
he  wished  to  be  rid  of.  When  the  service  of  the  regiment  was  com 
pleted  he  was  supported  by  his  friends.  His  old  comrades  contributed 
liberally  to  his  wants,  occasionally  provided  him  with  clothes,  took 
him  to  the  theatre  or  to  dinner,  or  to  both,  were  always  glad  of  his 
company,  and  would  be  delighted  to  shake  him  by  the  hand  again, 
though  it  would  be  an  expensive  pleasure.  Nature  never  intended 
him  for  work,  and  he  never  attempted  to  violate  the  scheme  laid  out 
for  him  by  the  planets  that  controlled  his  destiny.  Oddly  enough 
this  man  with  so  many  attractive  qualities  acquired  the  inharmonious 
nickname  of  "  Chuck"  from  his  habit  of  always  saying  "  chuck  it," 
when  you  had  anything  to  give  him,  rather  than  exert  himself  to 
move  out  of  his  position  to  reach  for  it.  His  acquaintance  was  one 
of  the  luxuries  of  our  army  life,  and  we  think  "Chuck"  was  worth 
all  he  cost. 

Some  of  our  young  readers  —  supposing,  of  course,  that  we  have 
young  readers  —  may  wonder  why  we  do  not  say  something  about  the 
heroes  of  the  regiment.  The  fact  is  that  brave  men,  men  who  only 
needed  an  Opportunity  to  distinguish  themselves,  were  as  plenty  as 
huckleberries.  It  is  not  the  men  whose  names  appear  the  oftenest 
in  the  newspapers  that  are  the  greatest  heroes  or  the  most  cour 
ageous  men.  In  truth,  every  soldier  knows  that  some  pretty  poor 
specimens  have  acquired  renown  by  pushing  themselves  forward  in  the 
daily  press.  When  a  boy,  sitting  beside  us  at  a  regimental  dinner, 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS. 

1863.  asks  who  such  a  man  is  that  is  making  so  much  fun,  whom 

we  recognize  as  among  the  best  of  soldiers,  we  like  to  sit 
down  with  that  boy  and  tell  him  what  we  have  seen  that  man  do  at  a 
critical  moment,  and  what  we  know  about  the  brave  deeds  of  other  men 
that  he  sees  about  him.  We  have  purposely  refrained  from  mentioning 
in  our  story  the  names  of  anybody,  through  fear  of  omitting  some  name 
entitled  to  honorable  mention  that  we  cannot  recall  while  writing.  It 
was  one  of  the  curious  things  about  men  of  exceptional  daring  and 
courage  that  they  generally  looked  upon  every  other  fellow  as  being 
equally  so.  We  know  men  in  the  Thirteenth  —  and  it  is  the  same  with 
other  regiments  —  with  a  record  that  every  man  who  respects  courage 
and  fortitude  under  trying  circumstances  would  be  glad  to  take  off 
his  hat  to  when  meeting  them  on  the  street,  but  only  their  comrades 
know  what  soldiers  they  were.  You  never  hear  them  mention  the  fact, 
for  they  see  nothing  heroic  in  anything  they  did  themselves,  while 
they  imagine  that  every  other  man  did  something  better. 

Just  as  soon  as  we  became  comfortably  settled  in  winter  quarters 
we  found  it  necessary  to  devote  our  surplus  energy  to  hunting  that 
sample  of  the  Divine  workmanship  scientifically  known  as  the 
" Pedicului  htimanus"  He  is  a  wonderful  little  chap,  satisfied  to 
live  in  Stygian  darkness,  hiding  himself  and  all  his  family  from  the 
closest  scrutiny.  After  an  hour  or  two  of  the  most  careful  examina 
tion  you  replace  your  shirt  satisfied  that  you  have  removed  the  last 
one,  and  inwardly  gratified  at  your  success,  when,  as  if  reading  your 
very  thoughts,  he  gives  notice  of  your  failure,  and  off  goes  your  shirt 
again  for  another  hunt.  Away  go  all  your  New  Year's  resolutions. 
At  last  you  come  to  realize  that  all  your  persistent  efforts  of  cleanli 
ness  and  watching  will  not  ensure  your  continuous  freedom  from  this 
disgusting  little  parasite. 

There  was  another  bloodthirsty  little  wretch  that  bothered  us  a 
good  deal  in  summer,  and  that  was  the  "  tick."  Of  course  we  had 
fleas,  as  might  be  expected  when  living  in  a  tent  no  bigger  than  a 
dog-kennel,  but  the  tick  was  a  real  enemy  that  did  business  on  busi 
ness  principles.  If  you  caught  him  in  the  act  and  brushed  him 
away,  as  you  supposed,  he  simply  dropped  his  body,  as  one  would  a 
knapsack,  and  with  his  head  firmly  imbedded  under  your  hide,  would 


186  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  continue  to  increase  and  multiply,  as  the  Bible  requests 

mankind  to  do,  until  very  soon  you  would  become  tortured 
with  a  most  disagreeable  irritation,  often  likely  to  become  very  serious 
and  occasionally  resulting  in  lameness  for  weeks.  What  with  lice, 
ticks,  centipedes,  earwigs,  etc..  there  was  food  for  reflecting  how 

"  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

In  spite  of  all  these  drawbacks  we  did  get  some  pleasure  out  of  life. 

By  aid  of  the  newspapers  we  kept  as  well-informed  as  the  rest  of 
the  world,  while  letters  and  papers  from  home  supplied  fresh  material 
to  be  repeated  at  some  other  fireside  than  our  own. 

We  all  had  our  ideas  of  running  a  campaign,  and  freely  criticised 
the  plans  of  our  commanders,  wondering  why  a  private  soldier  had 
so  much  more  sense  than  a  general. 

Of  course  we  were  busy  every  day  with  drills,  guard  duty,  fetching 
our  supply  of  wood,  which  had  to  be  hauled  two  or  three  miles,  and 
the  building  of  corduroy  roads,  so  that  when  evening  came  we  were 
glad  to  fill  our  pipes  and  stroll  into  other  quarters  until  tattoo, 
when  we  answered  to  our  names  and  then  turned  in  for  the  night, 
hoping  no  "long  roll  "  would  turn  us  out  before  morning. 

In  building  huts  for  winter  quarters,  opportunity  was  afforded 
for  the  exercise  of  such  ingenuity  or  fancy  as  the  boys  possessed. 
Some  were  satisfied  with  the  simplest  arrangement  that  could  be 
made,  while  others  spent  time  and  labor  to  perfect  a  habitation  that 
in  comparison  to  some  others  suggested  the  luxurious.  As  in  each 
case  the  roof  was  the  shelter  tent,  there  was  some  uniformity  in 
appearance,  the  size  of  the  roof  indicating  the  number  of  occupants. 
Some  dug  into  the  ground  for  space,  and  others  into  the  air.  Some 
were  two  stories  in  height,  and  a  few  were  dug  into  the  hill-side.  All 
pretty  nearly  represented  the  degree  of  comfort  the  occupants  de 
sired.  Each  was  provided  with  a  chimney  made  of  barrels  or  boxes, 
according  to  circumstances. 

Orders  were  received  to  march.     We  were  told  that 

January  20.   we  were  to  cross  the  river  once  more  and  engage  in  an 

effort  to  turn  the  right  wing  of   the  enemy.     Possibly 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  187 

1863.  Burnside  was  in  possession  of  information  that  led  him 

to  believe  this  could  be  done,  though  we  did  not  believe 
it.  As  will  be  seen,  this  turned  out  to  be  a  "  holler  mockery." 

We  had  become  fairly  well  settled  in  what  we  supposed  would  be 
permanent  winter  quarters,  so  we  were  not  moved  to  mirth  or  joy  on 
receiving  the  order  to  march.  In  answer  to  our  inquiries  of  what 
was  up,  we  were  informed  that  we  were  to  cross  the  river  and  attack 
the  right  wing  of  the  enemy  posted  on  the  opposite  bank.  It  was 
said  that  Burnside  had  received  information  that  the  enemy  had 
become  so  weakened  by  the  withdrawal  of  troops,  that  a  victory 
might  be  gained  with  the  possibility  of  our  marching  on  to  Richmond. 
The  breaking  up  of  our  camp  was  attended  by  the  usual  destruction 
of  things  that  had  contributed  to  our  comfort  and  pleasure.  Some 
of  the  huts  were  burned,  and  a  general  scene  of  disorder  prevailed  as 
we  left  the  spot.  About  noon  we  started  and  marched  in  a  westerly 
direction  ten  miles,  to  Stoneman's  Switch,  where  we  halted  for  the 
night.  This  was  the  beginning  of  what  has  since  been  known  in  war 
literature  as  "  Burnside's  mud  march."  We  had  sampled  from  time 
to  time  the  "  sacred  soil "  of  Virginia,  but  in  the  wildest  dreams  of 
our  imagination  we  had  seen  no  mud  like  this.  As  usual,  after  a 
few  weeks  of  continuous  camp  life,  our  knapsacks  had  assumed  a 
plethoric  appearance  out  of  keeping  with  the  hard  work  before  us. 
When  a  soldier  leaves  a  camp  such  as  ours  had  become,  he  has  to 
consider  what  he  will  throw  away. '  Idleness  is  what  fattens  a  knap 
sack.  A  soldier  generally  starts  with  a  good  deal  more  than  he  can 
carry,  but  his  back,  which  is  master  of  the  situation,  soon  brings  him 
to  terms,  and  after  a  day  or  two  the  luxuries  disappear. 

Somehow  or  other  we  got  separated  from  the  other  regiments  in 
the  brigade,  and  didn't  succeed  in  finding  them  until  night,  and  then 
it  was  raining  hard.  As  there  was  no  wood  to  be  had  we  could  build 
no  fires  ;  and  therefore  no  coffee  ;  nor  could  we  find  sticks  on  which  to 
pitch  our  tents,  so  our  guns  were  forced  to  do  duty  in  their  place. 

If  some  ministering  angel  had  happened  round  about  this  time 
with  a  barrel  of  hot  whiskey,  well  flavored  with  lemon-peel  and  sugar, 
it  is  doubtful  if  any  soldier  would  have  said,  "  Get  thee  behind  me, 
Satan  !  "  There  may  have  been  one  or  two,  or  even  three  or  three 


188  THREE    TEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  and  a  half  men,  whose  powers  of  articulation  would  have 

become  so  paralyzed  at  the  thought  as  not  to  be  able  to 

exclaim  with  the  rest  of  us,  "  Down  with  rum  !  "  though  we  doubt  it. 

It  rained  hard  at  daylight,  and  so  reveille  was  skipped. 

Wednesday,  Kvery  drop  of  rain   deepened  and  liquefied  the  mud. 

January  21.  Surely  such  a  sight  was  never  before  seen  as  an  army 

struggling  to  make  headway  in  such  a  mess.     Batteries 

and  wagons  could  be  moved  only  by  doubling  the  number  of  horses, 

and  even  then  it  frequently  happened  they  became  fast  imbedded  in 

the  mud.     As  they  moved  along  in  their  jerky  and  twisting  way,  the 

axle-trees  would  scrape  the  top  of  the  soil. 

Toward  noon  we  started  again,  and  after  six  hours  of  dreary  labor 
we  made  only  four  and  a  half  miles.  As  we  inarched  along  the  road 
we  saw  displayed  by  the  enemy  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river 
placards  bearing  the  words,  "  Burnside's  army  stuck  in  the  mud."  Not 
only  that  —  we  were  jeered  at  by  the  "  rebs,"  who  were  highly  pleased 
at  our  efforts  in  puddling.  Add  to  it  the  mortification  of  finding 
our  powder  wet,  one  can  form  some  idea  of  our  hopeless  condition. 

At  the  end  of  our  four  and  a  half  miles  the  order  was  given  to 
halt  for  the  night,  and  it  came  none  too  soon.  No  wonder  the 
"  Mud  march  "  has  become  one  of  the  historical  episodes  of  the  war. 
We  remained  quiet  all  day.  The  pitiable  condition  of 
Thursday,  the  army  must  have  shown  the  uselessness  of  attempting 
January  22.  a  movement  against  the  enemy  at  such  a  time.  We  re 
ceived  half-rations  last  night,  and  being  encamped  near  a 
forest,  were  able  to  get  wood  for  fires,  and  so  managed  to  make  life 
endurable.  Fence  rails  had  become  very  scarce.  As  the  warmth  of 
the  fires  stole  over  the  boys,  they  began,  as  usual,  to  turn  their  misery 
into  fun,  though  there  was  nothing  very  hilarious  about  it. 

We  got  away  at  8  A.M.  and  waded  back  through  the 
Friday,  mud  to  our  camp  at  Fletcher's  Chapel,  a  distance  of 
January  23.  fourteen  miles.  It  was  a  hard  day's  work,  but  the  boys 
were  encouraged  by  the  fact  that  each  step  shortened 
the  distance  to  our  supplies.  We  soon  forsook  the  road  for  the  fields 
and  woods,  wading  brooks  and  jumping  ditches,  glad  at  any  progress 
toward  the  camp  we  left  on  the  2oth. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  1  V» 

l863-  We  found  the  camp  in  a  sorry  condition,  from  the  rain 

and  the  disorder  in  which  we  left  it.  Those  of  us  who 
destroyed  our  huts  when  we  left  this  spot  on  the  2oth  felt  badly- 
enough  as  we  gazed  on  the  ruins. 

The  camp  was  soon  restored  to  a  moderate  degree  of  comfort  ; 
fires  were  lighted  and  coffee  made,  whereupon  there  ensued  a  lively 
discussion  on  the  monumental  stupidity  of  our  recent  movement.  If 
a  general  officer  could  have  been  present,  unseen,  at  a  gathering  of 
private  soldiers  round  a  camp-fire  after  a  battle,  or  after  a  movement 
such  as  the  one  we  have  just  described,  he  would  have  heard  some 
plain,  instructive  talk.  We  were  pretty  unanimously  of  the  opinion 
that  "  Old  Abe  "  had  better  appoint  a  private  soldier  to  run  the  next 
campaign.  As  our  huts  assumed  a  condition  of  comfort,  like  Jove, 
we  smoothed  our  wrinkled  fronts,  and  settled  down  to  another  period 
of  camp  life. 

The  following  graphic  account  of  the  "  Mud  march  "  campaign  is 
taken  from  Swinton's  "  Campaigns  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  :" 

The  point  at  which  General  Burnside  resolved  this  time  to  essay  the  passage  of 
the  Rappahannock  was  Banks'  Ford  (not  then  fordable),  about  six  miles  above 
Fredericksburg.  As.  however,  the  enemy  had  a  force  in  observation  at  all  the 
practicable  crossings  of  the  Rappahannock,  and  as  there  was  no  possibility  of 
making  preparations  for  the  passage  at  any  one  point  with  such  secrecy  that  he 
should  not  become  aware  of  it,  it  was  resolved  to  make  feints  of  crossing  at  sev 
eral  distinct  points,  both  above  and  below  Fredericksburg,  and  these  mark  the 
real  intent.  Accordingly,  new  roads  were  cut  through  the  woods  to  afford  the 
readier  access  to  the  fords,  batteries  svere  planted,  rifle-trenches  were  formed,  and 
cavalry  demonstrations  along  the  line;  and  these  manifestations  were  made  im 
partially  at  a  variety  of  points. 

The  weather  and  roads  had  been  in  excellent  condition  since  the  battle,  and  on 
the  I9th  of  January,  1863,  the  columns  were  put  in  motion  with  such  secrecy  as 
could  be  observed.  The  Grand  Divisions  of  Franklin  and  Hooker  ascended  the 
river  by  parallel  roads,  and  at  night  encamped  in  the  woods  at  convenient  distance 
from  the  fords. 

But  during  the  night  a  terrible  storm  came  on,  and  then  each  man  thought  that 
the  move  was  ended.  It  was  a  wild  Walpurgis  night,  such  as  Goethe  paints  in 
"  Faust."  Yet  there  was  brave  work  done  during  its  hours,  for  the  guns  were 
hauled  painfully  up  the  heights  and  placed  in  their  positions,  and  the  pontoons 
were  drawn  down  nearer  to  the  river.  But  it  was  already  seen  to  be  a  hopeless 
task  ;  for  the  clayey  roads  and  fields,  under  the  influence  of  the  rain,  had  become 


190  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  bad  beyond  all  former  experience,  and  by  daylight,  when  the  boats 

should  have  been  on  the  banks  ready  to  slide  down  into  the  water, 
but  fifteen  had  been  gotten  up  —  not  enough  for  one  bridge,  and  five  were 
wanted.  Moreover,  the  night  operations  had  not  escaped  the  notice  of  the  wary 
enemy,  and  by  morning  Lee  had  massed  his  army  to  meet  the  menaced  crossing. 

In  this  state  of  facts,  when  all  the  conditions  on  which  it  was  expected  to  make 
a  successful  passage  had  been  baulked,  it  would  have  been  judicious  in  General 
Burnside  to  have  promptly  abandoned  an  operation  that  was  now  hopeless. 
But  it  was  a  characteristic  of  that  general's  mind  (a  characteristic  that  might  be 
good  or  bad  according  to  the  direction  it  took)  never  to  turn  back  when  he  had 
once  put  his  hand  to  the  plough;  and  it  had  already  more  than  once  been  seen 
that  the  more  hopeless  the  enterprise  the  greater  his  pertinacity.  The  night's 
rain  had  made  deplorable  havoc  with  the  roads;  but  herculean  efforts  were  made 
to  bring  pontoons  enough  into  position  to  build  a  bridge  or  two,  withal.  Double 
and  triple  teams  of  horses  and  mules  were  harnessed  to  each  boat;  but  it  was  in 
vain.  Long  stout  ropes  were  then  attached  to  the  teams  and  a  hundred  and 
fifty  men  put  to  the  task  on  each.  The  effort  was  but  little  more  successful. 
Floundering  through  the  river  for  a  few  feet,  the  gang  of  Liliputians,  with  their 
huge-ribbed  Gulliver,  were  forced  to  give  over,  breathless.  Night  arrived,  but 
the  pontoons  could  not  be  got  up;  and  the  enemy's  pickets,  discovering  what  was 
going  on,  jocularly  shouted  out  their  intention  to  "  come  over  to-morrow  and  help 
build  the  bridges." 

Morning  dawned  upon  another  day  of  rain  and  storm.  The  ground  had  gone 
from  bad  to  worse,  and  now  showed  such  a  spectacle  as  might  be  presented  by  the 
elemental  wrecks  of  another  deluge.  An  indescribable  chaos  of  pontoons, 
vehicles,  and  artillery  encumbered  all  the  roads,  —  supply-wagons  upset  by  the 
roadside,  guns  stalled  in  the  mud,  ammunition-trains  ruined  by  the  way,  and 
hundreds  of  horses  and  mules  buried  in  the  liquid  mud.  The  army,  in  fact,  was 
embargoed;  it  was  no  longer  a  question  of  how  to  go  forward  —  it  was  a  question 
of  how  to  get  back.  The  three  days'  rations  brought  on  the  persons  of  the  men 
were  exhausted,  and  the  supply-trains  could  not  be  moved  up.  To  aid  the  return, 
all  the  available  force  was  put  to  work  to  corduroy  the  rotten  roads.  Next 
morning  the  army  floundered  and  staggered  back  to  the  old  camps;  and  so  ended 
a  movement  that  will  always  live  in  the  recollection  of  the  army  as  the  "  Mud 
march,"  and  which  remains  a  striking  exemplification  of  the  enormous  difficulties 
incident  to  winter  campaigning  in  Virginia. 

In  a  note  the  statement  is  made  that  "  the  nature  of  the  upper 
geologic  deposits  of  this  region  affords  unequalled  elements  for  bad 
roads,  for  it  is  a  soil  out  of  which,  when  it  rains,  the  bottom  drops, 
and  yet  which  is  so  tenacious  that  extrication  from  its  clutch  is  next  to 
impossible." 


TUIKTKEXTII    MASS.     VOLS.  1'Jl 

1863.  It  is  not  an  exaggeration  to  say,  that  before  or  after, 

there  was  seen  no  such  state  of  demoralization  as  pos 
sessed  a  large  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  the  end  of  this 
foolish  undertaking.  On  our  return  inarch,  men  were  seen  straggling 
back  to  their  camps,  cursing  everything  and  everybody.  Strewed 
along  the  road  lying  in  the  mud  could  be  seen  knapsacks,  guns,  and 
equipments,  thrown  away  by  men  thoroughly  disheartened  by  fatigue 
and  hunger;  the  very  men  who  had  fought  uncomplainingly  a  few 
weeks  before,  as  indeed  they  would  do  again  when  their  confidence 
and  spirits  were  restored,  had  become  more  incapacitated  by  the 
terrible  condition  of  the  roads  than  by  a  battle. 

When  the  papers  of  January  20  reached  us,  the  first  item  about 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  that  caught  our  eyes  was  headed,  "  A 

DESPERATE     STRUGGLE     IS     EVIDENTLY     CLOSE     AT    HAND,    AND    STIRRING 

NEWS  MAY  BE  EXPECTED  SHORTLY."  The  "  Mud  march  "  was  finished, 
and  we  could  gaze  on  this  announcement  with  unruffled  tempers, 
being  in  a  thankful  mood.  Our  experience  suggested  that  this  might 
be  a  witticism,  for  the  struggle  through  the  mud  was  both  stirring 
and  desperate.  In  the  papers  of  the  igth  the  statement  was  made  : 
"  ON  TO  RICHMOND  AGAIN  !  —  It  is  now  deemed  certain  that  General 
Burnside  is  by  this  time  across  the  river,  and  the  rebels  are  skedad 
dling  inland."  "  Brag  "  is  a  good  dog,  but  "  Hold  Fast "  is  a  better. 
Some  of  the  boys  suggested  that  these  papers  be  sent  to  General 
Lee  as  an  item  of  news,  but  when  we  thought  of  the  disgraceful 
predicament  we  had  been  in,  squirming  about  in  the  mud  like  so 
many  eels,  we  concluded  not  to  do  so. 

It  was  when  Burnside  took  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
that  we  first  saw  the  "  Butterfly  cavalry,"  a  regiment  from  New 
Jersey,  clothed  with  a  uniform  of  such  gorgeousness  that  "  Solomon 
in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these."  The  jacket  was 
elaborately  and  fantastically  adorned  with  yellow  cord,  and  buttons 
in  numerous  rows  down  the  front,  up  the  back,  around  the  collar,  and 
along  the  sleeves,  so  that  the  wearer  appeared  as  though  he  had 
robbed  a  United  States  mint.  The  trousers  were  slashed  to  the  knee, 
like  those  often  worn  by  Mexicans,  and  were  also  trimmed  with  a  pro 
fusion  of  cord  and  buttons.  The  hat  was  built  like  the  shako,  only 


192  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  it  lacked  the  visor  to  complete  the  likeness,  and  was  lib 

erally  decked  with  tassels  and  cord.  "  Button,  button  ! 
Who  has  the  button?  "  was  the  cry  that  saluted  their  ears  when  they 
made  their  appearance.  As  each  man  carried  a  lance  with  a  red 
pennant  attached,  they  would  have  made  a  conspicuous  mark  for  the 
enemy  had  they  been  called  upon  to  do  any  fighting.  Bedizened  as 
they  were  with  metallic  buttons  that  tinkled  when  they  moved,  these 
men  were  of  no  use  as  vedettes,  where  absolute  stillness  is  often  re 
quired  ;  so  some  of  them  were  assigned  for  duty  as  a  body-guard  to 
General  Burnside,  and  the  remainder  as  a  provost-guard,  to  drive 
along  the  men  who  straggled  on  the  march.  During  this  "  Mud 
march  "  campaign  they  had  plenty  of  work  to  do  in  keeping  the  men 
together,  and  they  attempted  it  so  energetically  and  so  offensively 
that  instead  of  "  Butterfly  cavalry  "  they  were  henceforth  hailed  as 
"Turkey- drivers,"  and  whenever  they  appeared  shouts  of  "  Gobble, 
gobble,  gobble  !  "  would  be  heard  from  one  regiment  after  another 
as  they  passed  along.  There  was  no  end  to  the  ridicule  and  sarcasm 
that  was  showered  upon  them  by  the  whole  army,  until  they  changed 
their  brilliant  uniform  for  the  more  appropriate  one  worn  by  the 
cavalry  corps.  Shortly  after  this  campaign  they  became  part  of  the 
cavalry  corps  under  Custer  and  others,  and  probably  did  good  service. 
General  Burnside  having  requested  to  be  relieved  from 

Monday,       the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  following 
January  26.    order  wag  issued  . 

GENERAL  ORDERS  i  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

No.  9.  /  CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTH,  VA. 

Jan.  26,  1863. 

By  direction  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  the  Commanding  General 
this  day  transfers  the  command  of  this  army  to  Maj.-Gen.  Joseph  Hooker. 

The  short  time  that  he  has  directed  your  movements  has  not  been  fruitful  of 
victory  or  any  considerable  advancement  of  our  lines,  but  it  has  again  demon 
strated  an  amount  of  courage,  patience,  and  endurance  that  under  more  favorable 
circumstances  would  have  accomplished  great  results.  Continue  to  exercise  these 
virtues,  be  true  in  your  devotion  to  your  country  and  the  principles  you  have 
sworn  to  maintain,  give  to  the  brave  and  skilful  general  who  has  so  long  been 
identified  with  your  organization  and  who  is  now  to  command  you,  your  full  and 
cordial  support  and  cooperation,  and  you  will  deserve  success. 

In  taking  an  affectionate  leave  of  the  entire  army,  from  which  he  separates  with 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  193 

1863.  so  much  regret,  he  may  he  pardoned  if  he  bids  an  especial  farewell 

to  his  long  tried  associates  of  the  Ninth  Corps. 

His  prayers  are  that  God  may  be  with  you,  and  grant  you  continual  success 
until  the  rebellion  is  crushed. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Burnside, 

LEWIS  RICHMOND, 

Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 

The  following  remarkable  letter  from  President  Lincoln  needs  no 
explanation,  though  it  seems  strange  that  General  Hooker  should 
have  taken  pride  in  it,  as  it  is  said  he  did  : 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION, 
WASHINGTON,  D.C.,  Jan.  26,  1863. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HOOKER: 

GENERAL:  I  have  placed  you  at  the  head  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Of 
course  I  have  done  this  upon  what  appears  to  me  to  be  sufficient  reasons,  and  yet  I 
think  it  best  for  you  to  know  that  there  are  some  things  in  regard  to  which  I  am  not 
quite  satisfied  with  you.  I  believe  you  to  be  a  brave  and  skilful  soldier,  which,  of 
course,  I  like.  I  also  believe  you  do  not  mix  politics  with  your  profession,  in  which 
you  are  right.  You  have  confidence  in  yourself,  which  is  a  valuable,  if  not  an  in 
dispensable  quality.  You  are  ambitious,  which,  within  reasonable  bounds,  does 
good  rather  than  harm ;  but  I  think  that,  during  General  Burnside's  command  of 
the  army,  you  have  taken  counsel  of  your  ambition,  and  thwarted  him  as  much  as 
you  could,  in  which  you  did  a  great  wrong  to  the  country  and  to  a  meritorious 
and  honorable  brother  officer.  I  have  heard,  in  such  a  way  as  to  believe  it,  of  your 
recently  saying  that  both  the  army  and  the  government  needed  a  dictator.  Of  course 
it  was  not  for  this,  but  in  spite  of  it,  that  I  have  given  you  the  command.  Only 
those  generals  who  gain  successes  can  set  up  dictators.  What  I  now  ask  of  you  is 
military  success,  and  I  will  risk  the  dictatorship.  The  government  will  support  you 
to  the  utmost  of  its  ability,  which  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  it  has  done  and 
will  do  for  all  commanders.  I  much  fear  that  the  spirit  which  you  have  aided  to 
infuse  into  the  army,  of  criticising  their  commander  and  withholding  confidence 
from  him,  will  now  turn  upon  you.  I  shall  assist  you  as  far  as  I  can  to  put  it 
down.  Neither  you  nor  Napoleon,  if  he  were  alive  again,  could  get  any  good  out 
of  an  army  while  such  a  spirit  prevails  in  it.  And  now  beware  of  rashness.  Be 
ware  of  rashness,  but  with  energy  and  a  sleepless  vigilance  go  forward  and  give  us 

victories. 

Yours  very  truly, 

A.  LINCOLN. 

A  good  deal  of  confidence  was  restored  by  the  appointment  of 
General  Hooker  —  or  "  Fighting  Joe,"  as  the  boys  called  him. 


194  THREE    YEARS    IX    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  Once  more  we  were  in  receipt  of  papers,  and  as  they 

covered  the  time  we  were  absent  from  camp  we  learned 
that  the  right  and  left  wings  of  our  army  were  in  motion.  The  papers 
announced  on  the  226.  the  following  :  "  HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  IF  TRUE  !  — 
Rumors  of  a  terrible  battle  on  the  Rappahannock  !  —  Rebels  out 
flanked  by  Sumner  !  —  General  Hooker  mortally  wounded  !  —  Gen 
eral  Burnside  again  crossed  the  Rappahannock  and  a  terrible  battle  is 
being  fought."  Yes,  a  terrible  battle  with  "  mud  "  had  been  fought, 
but  as  to  the  rest,  Dame  Rumor  lied,  as  she  frequently  does.  However, 
newspapers  always  brought  us  something  to  talk  about.  Very  little 
the  rank  and  file  knew  about  movements  of  the  army  except  what 
was  learned  through  the  newspapers.  There  were  occasions,  to  be 
sure,  when  men  of  average  intelligence  could  guess  very  near  the 
truth  when  opportunities  were  offered  for  observation,  but  generally 
we  knew  little  about  what  another  corps  in  our  army  might  be  doing 
until  we  saw  it  recorded  in  the  papers.  Once  in  a  while  a  cor 
respondent  would  visit  us,  when  we  were  sure  to  be  written  up,  and 
as  the  accounts  were  generally  favorable  we  were  pleased  when  they 
appeared.  As  the  larder  of  a  private  soldier  was  not  extensive,  we 
left  their  entertainment  to  the  officers.  Our  impression  is,  the  officers 
did  their  hospitable  work  well. 

During  the  winter  we  had  the  same  variety  of  weather  as  prevails 
in  Ne\v  England,  —  snowing  and  freezing  followed  by  rain  and 
thawing.  When  the  ground  was  not  frozen  it  was  mud  more  than 
ankle-deep,  making  the  roads  almost  impassable.  On  the  22d  of 
February  we  had  a  severe  snow-storm,  the  snow  being  three  feet 
deep  in  some  places.  The  horses  suffered  more  than  the  men.  • 

It  was  while  encamped  at  Fletcher's  Chapel  that  we  received  the 
first  order  respecting  corps  badges,  a  description  of  which  will  be 
seen  by  the  following  circular : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

March  21,  1863. 

For  the  purpose  of  ready  recognition  of  corps  and  divisions  of  the  army,  and 
to  prevent  injustice  by  reports  of  straggling  and  misconduct  through  mistake  as 
to  their  organizations,  the  chief  quartermaster  will  furnish,  without  delay,  the 
following  badges  to  be  worn  by  the  officers  and  enlisted  men  of  all  regiments  of 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  195 

1863.  the  various  corps  mentioned.     They  will  be  securely  fastened  u|x>n 

the  centre  of  the  top  of  the  cap.     The  inspecting  officers  will  at  all 
inspections  see  that  these  badges  are  worn  as  designated. 

First  Corps  —  a  sphere  :  red  for  the  First  Division  ;  white  for  the  Second  ;  blue 
for  the  Third. 

Second  Corps  —  a  trefoil :  red  for  the  First  Division;  white  for  the  Second; 
blue  for  the  Third. 

Third  Corps  —  a  lozenge  :  red  for  the  First  Division;  white  for  the  Second;  blue 
for  the  Third. 

Fifth  Corps  —  a  Maltese  cross:  red  for  the  First  Division;  white  for  the  Second; 
blue  for  the  Third. 

Sixth  Corps  —  a  cross :  red  for  the  First  Division ;  white  for  the  Second ;  blue 
for  the  Third.  (Light  Division,  green.) 

Eleventh  Corps  —  a  crescent ;  red  for  the  First  Division;  white  for  the  Second  ; 
blue  for  the  Third. 

Twelfth  Corps  —  a  star:  red  for  the  First  Division;  white  for  the  Second;  blue 
for  the  Third. 

The  si/es  and  colors  will  be  according  to  pattern. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Hooker, 

S.   WILLIAMS, 

Acting  Adjutant- General. 

The  division  was  reviewed  by  General  Hooker  to-day. 
Thursday,  He  was  good  enough  to  pay  the  Thirteenth  a  compli- 
April  2.  ment,  requesting  the  colonel  to  repeat  it  to  us.  It 
served  to  strengthen  the  good-will  we  already  held  for 
him,  and  made  us  long  for  an  opportunity  to  show  him  that  we 
could  act  as  well  as  we  appeared. 

From  this  time  to  the  last  of  April  we  continued  in  camp  at 
Fletcher's  Chapel,  attending  to  the  usual  routine  of  duties  incident 
to  camp  life,  such  as  guard-mounting,  drilling,  inspection,  outpost 
duty,  cutting  and  drawing  wood,  and  fetching  water.  As  a  good  deal 
of  the  wood  had  been  cut  away  near  us,  we  were  obliged,  before 
winter  was  over,  to  go  nearly  half  a  mile  down  the  stream  for  a 
supply,  lugging  it  on  our  shoulders  to  camp.  The  camp  was  situated 
on  a  point  of  land  east  of  the  residence  of  a  Mr.  Bowie,  between 
two  small  streams  running  north  and  uniting  a  few  hundred  yards 
beyond.  We  had  reviews  by  General  Robinson  and  occasionally  by 
other  officers.  On  such  occasions  we  shined  and  brushed  up,  that 
we  might  make  as  good  an  impression  as  possible.  For  amusement, 


196  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  advertisements  were  inserted  in  some  of  the  Northern 

papers,  asking  for  correspondence  with  some  young  lady 
of  matrimonial  inclinations ;  to  which  the  first  mail  brought  about  a 
peck  of  answers  that  were  distributed  among  the  boys.  The  same 
thing  was  done  the  previous  winter  while  we  were  encamped  at  Wil- 
liamsport.  At  that  time  answers  came  by  the  bushel.  It  was  as 
tonishing  how  many  young  women  were  so  inclined.  We  got  a  good 
deal  of  fun  out  of  this,  which  offset  the  disappointment  that  was 
experienced  in  "  poker." 

Ovens  were  built  for  baking  bread,  so  that  we  lived  on  "  soft- 
bread  ;  "  the  size  of  each  loaf  being  such  that  one  was  a  day's  ration 
of  bread  to  each  man.  A  single  oven  furnished  the  bread  for  a  brigade, 
and  was  built  as  follows  :  Having  first  levelled  and  smoothed  a  place 
about  eight  or  ten  feet  square,  two  half  cylinders  of  sheet  iron,  four 
feet  in  diameter  at  the  base  line,  were  placed  on  the  spot  prepared, 
one  end  of  the  cylinder  having  a  chimney  attached.  These  semi- 
cylinders  were  short,  so  that  you  could  lengthen  or  shorten  your  oven 
by  attaching  or  detaching  extra  cylinders,  the  size  of  the  oven 
depending  on  the  number  of  men  to  be  provided  for.  Having  got 
the  ovens  in  place,  they  were  then  covered  with  a  foot  or  two  of 
earth.  By  this  means  the  men  were  provided  with  fresh  bread  each 
day.  The  bread  was  good  while  it  was  new,  and  made  an  agreeable 
change.  A  great  improvement  was  noticed  at  this  time  in  all  our 
rations.  In  addition  to  this,  we  had  condensed  milk  and  other 
luxuries  from  the  sutler,  and  occasionally  boxes  from  home.  Fresh 
meat  was  provided,  and  if  you  could  make  a  deal  with  the  butcher, 
you  might  secure  a  beef's  liver  or  a  heart ;  but  as  these  were  his 
perquisites,  only  the  wealthy  —  men  successful  at  poker  —  lived  on 
liver,  as  the  demand  far  exceeded  the  supply.  The  last  week  in 
February  the  chaplain  arrived  from  Boston,  bringing  news  and  letters. 
As  he  came  into  camp  the  boys  crowded  round  him  shouting,  "  \Vhat 
came  ye  out  for  to  see?"  It  amused  the  chaplain  that  we  should 
recollect  his  old  text.  His  joyous  nature  always  brought  a  lot  of  sun 
light  into  camp  when  he  returned  from  one  of  his  trips  away. 

Whether  or  not  it  was  due  to  General  Hooker,  we  are  unable  to 
say,  though  he  was  credited  with  it,  an  improvement  in  the  quantity 


TIIlltTEENTU    MASK.     VOLS.  l!»7 

1863.  and  quality  of  our  rations  was  noticeable  upon  his  taking 

command.  The  harsh  criticisms  that  were  excited  under 
Hurnside  by  the  tormenting  pangs  of  an  empty  stomach  were  now 
undergoing  the  mellowing  influence  of  abundance,  which  added  very 
much  to  Hooker's  popularity,  always  strong  in  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  with  whom  he  was  very  much  of  a  hero.  The  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  while  under  Burnside,  had  become  so  demoralized  by  short 
rations  and  the  severity  of  the  "  Mud  march  "  campaign,  that  deser 
tions  were  of  daily  occurrence,  as  we  noticed  by  the  list  of  names 
that  were  read  at  dress  parade.  To  offset  this  complaint  a  liberal 
number  of  furloughs  were  granted  and  with  better  rations  confidence 
was  soon  restored. 

Up  to  this  time  the  officers  had  been  allowed  to  retain  wall  tents, 
but  the  following  order  deprived  them  of  that  luxury  and  forced  them 
into  shelter  tents.  Opportunity  had  been  afforded  them  from  time 
to  time,  by  non-arrival  of  the  regimental  wagons,  to  test  their  grace 
fulness  in  diving  into  a  shelter. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRTEENTH  MASS.  VOLS., 

April  i,  1863. 

Company  commanders,  in  accordance  with  previous  orders,  will  turn  into  the 
A.  B.  Q.  M.,  on  or  before  II  A.M.,  April  2d,  all  wall  tents,  flies  and  poles,  and 
all  other  surplus  camp  and  garrison  equipage. 

One  shelter  tent  will  be  furnished  to  each  commissioned  officer. 

Transportation  (for  line  officers)  will  be  furnished  for  five-mess  kits  only. 
Rations,  cooking  utensils,  and  all  other  appurtenances  of  each  mess  must  be 
properly  packed  in  one  case  not  larger  than  a  hard-bread  box. 

Trunks  will  not  be  carried,  neither  blankets  nor  shelter  tents,  on  wagons. 

Company  books  and  blanks  will  be  well  packed  in  strong  boxes  and  distinctly 
marked  —  the  boxes  to  be  of  the  size  of  company  clothing  books,  and  not  over  five 
inches  deep  in  the  clear. 

The  pack  mules  will  carry  one  shelter  tent,  two  wool  and  one  rubber  blanket 
for  each  officer,  also  (if  possible)  the  officer's  rations  needed  on  the  march. 

Transportation  to  Washington  will  be  furnished  for  all  surplus  private  baggage, 
under  charge  of  an  officer  detailed  from  the  brigade. 

The  government  still  retained  confidence  in  the  private  soldier's 
determination  not  to  carry  more  than  he  wanted. 


198  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  The  First  Army  Corps  was  to-day  reviewed  by  Presi- 

Thursday,  ^en^  LmCOln,  Secretary  Stanton,  and  others.  At  an 
Apn  9'  early  hour  the  regiment  moved  down  below  Belle  Plain 
Landing,  toward  the  Potomac,  and  formed  in  line  on  a 
large  meadow  skirting  the  river.  Very  soon  other  divisions  and 
brigades  arrived.  While  waiting  for  the  reviewing  party  we  had  a 
game  of  ball,  to  the  no  small  amusement  of  the  lookers-on.  Others 
strolled  down  to  the  river,  until  at  last  the  beating  of  drums  hurried 
us  all  back,  and  very  soon  we  were  all  in  line  at  "present  arms." 
Though  motionless  as  a  board  fence,  our  eyes  were  following  the 
motions  of  "  Old  Abe."  The  President  was  not  a  handsome  man  as 
the  world  judges  "  good  looks,"  but  he  was  a  man  of  such  abundant 
honesty,  such  kindness  of  heart  and  simplicity  of  manners,  that  one 
forgot  his  appearance  in  the  great  qualities  of  the  man  himself.  His 
presence  inspired  more  confidence  among  the  soldiers  than  all  the 
generals  put  together,  and  every  man  felt  better  for  having  seen  him. 

The  Thirteenth  had  the  right  of  the  line,  and  was  therefore  the 
first  to  march  by  the  President.  We  appreciated  a  place  so  con 
spicuous,  and  every  man,  as  he  marched  along,  did  his  best  to  merit 
the  approbation  the  regiment  received. 

As  we  marched  past  the  reviewing-stand,  we  noticed  the  affection 
ate  and  pleasing  manner  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  as  he  was  instructing  his 
young  son,  "Tad,"  who  was  mounted  on  a  pony  beside  him,  how  to 
return  the  salute  of  the  officers  who  were  marching  in  line. 

Having  passed  the  reviewing-stand  we  were  ordered  to  "  double- 
quick,"  and  then  wheeled  to  the  left  and  halted.  An  opportunity 
was  thus  afforded  to  watch  the  measured  tread  of  the  long  line 
that  followed  us.  It  was  a  grand  and  inspiring  sight,  and  one  long 
to  be  remembered. 

After  the  review  was  ended  the  regiment  was  sent  out  on  picket. 

When  the  newspapers  containing  an  account  of  the  review  reached 
camp  a  few  days  after,  it  was  a  pretty  poor  soldier  of  our  regiment 
that  didn't  feel  a  thrill  of  pleasure  on  reading  the  following : 

In  the  grand  review  of  the  First  Army  Corps,  yesterday,  the  Twelfth  and 
Thirteenth  Massachusetts  regiments  elicited  high  commendations  by  the  precision 
of  their  movements. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  199 

1863.  This  was  a  hard  day's  work  for  us,  as  we  had  a  long 

march  to  the  reviewing-point,  then  back  to  camp,  where 
we  arrived  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  afterward  a  good  distance 
farther  to  the  picket  line,  where  we  went  on  picket  duty  for  twenty- 
four  hours. 

The  division  was  reviewed  to-day  by  its  commander, 
Friday,  Gen.  John  C.  Robinson,  and  other  distinguished  officers. 
April  13.  \ye  Were  notified  in  advance  that  this  was  to  be  an  unus 
ual  occasion,  so  the  boys  shined  their  buttons,  brushed 
their  coats,  blacked  their  boots,  and  last  but  not  least,  adorned  them 
selves  with  paper  collars  purchased  from  the  sutler.  This  prinking 
which  the  boys  indulged  in  occasionally,  just  to  remind  them  of  days 
gone  by,  and  which  gave  the  regiment  the  sobriquet  of  "  Band-box 
guard,"  reached  the  ears  of  Colonel  Coulter,  of  the  Eleventh  Pennsyl 
vania,  who  was  bound  to  have  a  little  fun  at  the  regiment's  expense. 
Now  it  happened  that  "  Dick  "  Coulter  was  the  owner  of  a  brindle 
bulldog  called  "  Sally,"  who  was  famous  throughout  the  brigade  for 
her  intelligence,  and  had  a  habit  of  sticking  close  to  the  colonel's 
heels  when  not  restrained.  On  this  occasion  she  was  decked  with  a 
white  paper  collar  round  her  neck  labelled  "  13,"  and  a  white  glove 
fastened  on  each  paw.  During  the  whole  of  the  ceremony  "Sally" 
trotted  about  in  plain  sight,  a  most  ludicrous  object,  affording  a  deal 
of  amusement  to  all  who  witnessed  it.  In  spite  of  this  ridicule  the 
regiment  made  a  fine  appearance,  and  received  the  praise  of  Gen 
eral  Reynolds,  who  liked  neatness  and  orderly  appearance  in  the 
soldier. 


200  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER   X. 

1863.  BROKE  camp  and  marched  in  a  drizzling  rain  seven 

Tuesday,      niiies  toward  the  Rappahannock,  halting  within  a  mile  or 

pn   2  '       so  of  the  river  behind  a  piece  of  woods.    We  were  full  of 

surmises  as  to  where  we  were  going,  though  it  turned  out 

to  be  the  Chancellorsville  campaign.     For  a  while  the  papers  dropped 

"All  quiet  on  the  Potomac,"  and  substituted  "  On  to  Richmond." 

Orders  were  received  from  General  Hooker  for  the  men  to  take 
eight  days'  rations.  We  had  frequently  carried  five  days'  rations, 
but  this  was  the  first  time  we  were  called  upon  to  lug  a  quantity  like 
that.  The  consequence  was  that  the  overflow  from  our  haversacks 
was  stowed  away  in  the  knapsacks. 

At  2  o'clock  this  morning  we  were  turned  out,  and  by 
Wednesday,  four  were  moved  out  of  the  woods  about  half  a  mile  and 
April  29.  halted  in  an  open  field.  Heavy  firing  was  heard  up  the 
river,  in  front  and  below.  While  we  remained  here  a 
band  of  ninety-one  rebel  prisoners  were  marched  by  us,  in  appear 
ance  more  like  tramps  than  soldiers.  They  were  captured  by  the 
first  division  of  our  corps.  At  1 2  o'clock  we  were  marched  out  in 
full  view  of  the  river.  From  our  elevated  position  could  be  seen  the 
whole  plain  where  we  fought  on  the  i3th  of  December.  The  position 
occupied  by  us  then  was  now  held  by  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  a  mile 
below  could  be  seen  the  first  division  of  the  First  Corps,  their  arms 
gleaming  in  the  sunlight,  while  the  open  field  in  front  was  dotted 
with  skirmishers  lying  low,  to  present  as  small  a  mark  as  possible  to 
the  enemy.  On  a  house  opposite  could  be  seen  the  Union  sharp 
shooters,  their  heads  peeping  over  the  ridge-pole.  It  was  a  beauti 
ful  day,  the  air  balmy  with  the  warm  rays  of  the  sun,  which  was  shin 
ing  brightly  on  this  warlike  scene.  We  watched  with  interest  the 
second  and  third  brigades  as  they  filed  down  to  the  pontoon  bridge, 
where  they  halted  and  stacked  arms. 


TUlltTEKNTn    MASS.     VOLS.  201 

l863-  National  Fast  day.    Until  9  o'clock  the  heavy  fog  clung 

Thursday,  to  the  rjver>  obscuring  everything  from  sight.  Firing  was 
heard  to  the  right  in  the  vicinity  of  United  States  Ford, 
where  the  main  portion  of  the  army  crossed.  About 
noon  we  were  summoned  to  "attention,"  and  then,  by  brigades, 
closed  en  masse  on  the  first  brigade  ;  after  which  General  Hooker's 
famous  bulletin  was  read,  saying  that  "the  operations  on  the  right 
had  been  a  series  of  splendid  successes,  and  that  the  enemy  must 
leave  his  intrenchments  and  fight  or  ingloriously  retreat,"  etc.  Some 
cheering  was  given  among  the  new  troops,  but  the  older  ones  were 
cautious  about  being  too  jubilant.  Ranks  were  then  broken,  and  the 
men  collected  in  groups  to  discuss  the  bulletin  or  to  drop  asleep. 
An  hour  or  so  passed  when  a  heavy  report  was  heard  in  front,  and 
suddenly  a  shell  came  whi/zing  through  the  air  to  our  right.  All 
was  bustle  in  a  moment ;  each  man  making  for  his  place  in  the  ranks, 
putting  on  his  equipments  as  he  ran.  Then  another  shell  came 
striking  on  the  river,  throwing  up  the  spray  which  glistened  in  the 
sunlight,  reflecting  the  colors  of  the  rainbow,  and  then  bounding 
along  the  plain  into  the  ranks  of  the  bucktails  of  the  third 
division.  Another  stnick  near  General  Robinson's  headquarters, 
while  his  men  were  striking  tents.  Another  struck  in  the 
ranks  of  the  Ninetieth  Pennsylvania,  tossing  arms,  equipments, 
and  fragments  of  clothing,  and  possibly  human  bodies,  in  the 
air,  in  wild  disorder.  General  Robinson's  staff  were  mount 
ing  in  hot  haste,  while  batteries,  now  unlimbered,  were  re 
plying.  The  Thirteenth  was  lying  on  the  ground,  some  asleep,  some 
playing  cards,  while  others  were  intently  watching  the  effect  of  the 
shells  as  they  burst  in  the  midst  of  other  troops,  quite  well  satisfied 
to  be  out  of  immediate  clanger,  when  a  shell  suddenly  burst  among 
us,  and  caps,  haversacks,  clothing,  in  a  confused  mass,  were  seen 
to  fly  out  from  the  centre  of  the  explosion.  When  the  smoke 
cleared  away,  we  found  three  mangled  and  bleeding  bodies,  —  two 
commissioned  officers  and  a  sergeant.  The  officers  were  both 
dead,  and  the  sergeant,  whose  body  was  hastily  taken  to  the  rear, 
was  so  badly  injured  as  to  necessitate  the  amputation  of  an  arm 
and  a  leg.  The  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  bluffs  in  the  rear, 


202  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  where  there  was  a  road  with  an  embankment,  by  which 

some  protection  was  afforded,  though  the  shells  were 
flying  through  the  air  thick  and  fast.  In  the  two  divisions  exposed 
to  the  fire,  eight  or  ten  were  killed  and  between  forty  and  fifty  were 
wounded,  without  a  shot  being  returned  by  any  of  our  troops  except 
the  artillery. 

Yesterday  we  laid  quiet  all  day  undisturbed,  except 
Saturday,  when  batteries  of  artillery  would  gallop  by  us  on  the  road 
May  2.  to  some  threatened  point  of  the  line. 

At  4  o'clock  this  morning  we  were  turned  out  by  a 
general  alarm,  and  preparations  made  to  march.  When  the  roll  was 
called  it  was  learned  that  we  had  in  line  346  men,  including  officers. 
Orders  were  received  for  the  First  Corps,  under  General  Reynolds, 
to  take  up  its  bridges  and  join  General  Hooker  by  way  of  United 
States  Ford,  and  before  9  o'clock  we  were  on  our  way.  It  was  a 
beautiful  day,  but  very  hot,  and  the  boys  were  full  of  hope  and  an 
ticipations  of  soon  meeting  the  enemy  and  wiping  out  the  disaster  of 
Fredericksburg.  As  we  approached  the  river,  the  masses  of  fog  that 
enclosed  its  banks  were  moving  toward  the  sea,  while  here  and  there 
a  house  was  peeping  through  the  vapor  as  if  struggling  to  be  seen. 
Very  soon  the  plain  and  forest  could  be  distinguished,  and  shortly  all 
was  clear.  As  we  came  in  sight  of  rebel  batteries,  they  opened  upon 
us  without  doing  any  damage.  We  passed  the  Sixth  Corps  on  their 
way  to  the  left  —  a  movement  made  to  deceive  the  enemy.  From 
time  to  time,  as  we  marched  along,  we  met  squads  of  rebel  prisoners 
under  the  escort  of  Union  cavalry,  on  their  way  to  the  rear.  Tramp, 
tramp  all  day  until  nearly  8  o'clock  at  night,  when  we  filed  down  be 
tween  the  hills  to  the  ford,  which  we  crossed  on  pontoons,  and  then 
half  a  mile  farther,  when,  tired  and  weary,  we  gladly  received  the 
order  to  halt  for  the  night.  Our  bivouac  fires  were  scarcely  lighted 
and  preparations  made  for  sleep  when  the  drums  were  sounded, 
followed  by  orders  to  "fall  in.'"  and  then  "f-o-r-w-a-r-d,  march  /" 
and  at  a  good  round  pace  we  started  for  Chancellorsville,  wondering 
what  had  happened  to  necessitate  this  sudden  change  in  our  pro 
gramme.  Something  serious,  for  mounted  officers  were  hurrying 
about  with  orders  urging  forward  the  troops.  We  had  not  long  to 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     I'OLS.  iiO:J 

1863.  wait,  however,  before  we  got  some  idea  of  the  disaster 

which  had  overtaken  the  army.  Very  soon  we  saw  men 
of  the  Eleventh  Corps  hurrying  to  the  rear,  many  of  them  panic- 
stricken  with  fear.  Orders  were  received  to  drive  back  to  the  front 
all  men  who  were  not  wounded.  We  knew  so  little  beyond  the 
sphere  of  our  duty,  that  it  was  impossible  to  understand  what  the  re 
treat  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  betokened,  or  what  influence  it  might 
have  on  the  fortunes  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  We  had 
crossed  the  river  with  great  hopes,  a  well-organized  army,  with  such 
perfect  confidence  in  our  leaders,  that  what  we  now  saw  seemed 
surprising,  and  we  were  eager  to  know  the  meaning.  The  wildest 
confusion  prevailed.  Staff-officers  and  messengers  were  excitedly 
shouting  to  clear  the  road,  that  they  might  not  be  obstructed  in  their 
duties,  or  their  haste  impeded.  "  //<///,  there  !  "  "  Where  in  h — 1 
are  you  going?"  was  frequently  heard,  followed  by  "Turn  back, 
you  cowards  !  "  While  all  this  excitement  was  going  on  in  the  road, 
at  each  side  was  seen  the  equipment  and  supplies  of  a  great  army 
huddled  together  in  bewildering  disorder  as  if  suddenly  dumped  from 
the  sky.  Ammunition  wagons,  hospital  supplies,  wagons  loaded  with 
food,  horses  and  mules  inextricably  mixed,  gun-carriages,  black 
smith's  forges,  pontoons,  all  packed  together,  while  the  men  in  charge, 
tired  and  weary,  were  lying  unblanketed,  their  feet  to  smouldering 
fires,  dead  with  sleep,  insensible  to  the  heavy  roll  of  artillery  or  the 
tramp  of  infantry.  It  was  a  strange  sight  and  a  new  experience  to 
the  Thirteenth,  which  had  never  before  been  in  the  wake  of  an  army 
engaged  in  battle.  Long  years  have  not  obliterated  the  impressions 
of  that  night.  Along  the  road  it  was  pandemonium ;  on  the  side  of 
the  road  it  was  chaos. 

Presently  the  sound  of  musketry  was  heard,  and  in  a  little  while 
three  Yankee  cheers  were  heard,  denoting  successful  resistance  to  a 
charge  of  the  enemy,  whereupon  the  boys  started  "Glory,  Hallelu 
jah  !  "  which  passed  along  from  brigade  to  brigade  until  the  whole 
corps,  apparently,  were  singing  this  stirring  old  war-song.  Way  was 
made  for  the  ambulances,  hurrying  forward  to  bring  off  the  wounded. 
It  was  evident  we  were  nearing  the  line  of  battle,  when  an  order  was 
received  to  change  our  direction,  which  we  did  by  turning  sharp  to 


204  THREE    YEARS    IX    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  the  right  toward  the  Elley's  Ford  road,  which  we  reached 

about  2  A.M.  and  halted,  twenty-two  hours  after  we  were 
turned  out  in  the  morning,  having  marched  about  thirty  miles.  In 
spite  of  the  efforts  of  officers  to  clear  the  road,  our  advance  had  been 
slow  and  tiresome.  Notwithstanding  fatigue  and  weariness,  we  began 
at  once  to  build  earthworks,  as  every  man  felt  that  his  own  safety  as 
well  as  that  of  the  army  might  soon  be  at  stake.  Knives,  bayonets, 
plates,  and  dippers  were  enlisted,  and  by  continuous  activity  sub 
stantial  breastworks  were  completed  when  daylight  appeared. 

After  the  publicity  we  have  given  to  the  flight  of  the  Eleventh 
Corps,  and  the  remarks  that  were  made  to  some  of  them  on  the 
way  to  the  rear,  it  is  no  more  than  justice  to  quote  the  following 
statement  from  General  Doubleday's  narrative  of  the  battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville,  with  which  statement  we  are  in  hearty  accord  : 

It  is  always  convenient  to  have  a  scape-goat  in  case  of  disaster,  and  the  Ger 
man  element  in  the  Eleventh  Corps  have  been  fiercely  censured  and  their  name 
a  byword  for  giving  way  on  this  occasion.  Tt  is  full  time  justice  should  be  done  by 
calling  attention  to  the  position  of  that  corps.  I  assert  that  when  a  force  is  not 
deployed,  but  is  struck  suddenly  and  violently  on  its  flank,  resistance  is  im 
practicable.  Not  Napoleon's  Old  Guard,  not  the  best  and  bravest  troops  that 
ever  existed,  could  hold  together  in  such  a  case,  for  the  first  men  assailed  are  — 
to  use  a  homely  but  expressive  word  —  driven  into  a  huddle  ;  and  a  huddle  can 
not  fight,  for  it  has  no  front  and  no  organization.  Under  such  circumstances,  the 
men  have  but  a  choice  of  two  evils,  —  either  to  stay  where  they  are  and  be 
slaughtered,  without  power  of  defending  themselves,  or  to  run;  and  the  only 
sensible  thing  for  them  to  do  is  to  run,  and  rally  on  some  other  organization. 

The  following  graphic  statement  of  our  doings  and  position  at  this 
time  is  also  taken  from  General  Doubleday's  narrative  of  Chancel- 
lorsville  : 

At  sunset  the  First  Corps  went  into  bivouac  on  the  south  side  of  United  States 
Ford,  about  four  miles  and  a  half  from  Chancellorsville.  The  men  were  glad 
enough  to  rest  after  their  tedious  march  on  a  hot  day,  loaded  with  eight  days' 
rations.  General  Reynolds  left  me  temporarily  in  charge  of  the  corps,  while 
he  rode  on  to  confer  with  Hooker.  We  heard  afar  off  the  sound  of  battle 
caused  by  Jackson's  attack,  and  saw  the  evening  sky  reddened  with  the  fires  of 
combat;  but  knowing  Hooker  had  a  large  force,  we  felt  no  anxiety  as  to  the  result, 
and  took  it  for  granted  that  we  should  not  be  wanted  until  the  next  day.  I  was 
preparing  a  piece  of  india-rubber  cloth  as  a  couch  when  I  saw  one  of  Reynolds' 


TinKTEENTII    MASS.     VOLS.  205 

1863.  aids,  Captain  Wadsworth,  coming  down  the  road  at  full  speed.     He 

brought  the  startling  news  that  the  Eleventh  Corps  had  fled,  and  if 
we  did  not  go  at  once,  the  army  would  be  hopelessly  defeated.  We  were  soon  on 
the  road,  somewhat  oppressed  by  the  news,  but  not  dismayed.  We  marched 
through  the  thickening  twilight  of  the  woods,  amid  a  silence  at  first  only  broken 
by  the  plaintive  song  of  the  whippoorwill,  until  the  full  moon  rose  in  all  its  splendor. 
As  we  proceeded  we  came  upon  crowds  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  fugitives  still 
hastening  to  the  rear.  They  seemed  wholly  disheartened.  We  halted  for  a  time, 
in  order  that  our  position  in  line  of  battle  might  be  selected,  and  then  moved  on. 
As  we  approached  the  field  a  midnight  battle  commenced,  and  the  shells  seemed 
to  burst  in  sparkles  in  the  trees  above  our  heads,  but  not  near  enough  to  reach  us. 
It  was  Sickles  fighting  his  way  home  again.  When  we  came  nearer  and  filed 
to  the  right  to  take  our  position  on  the  Elley's  Ford  road,  the  men  struck  up  the 
John  Brown's  song,  and  gave  the  chorus  with  a  will.  The  cheerful  demeanor  and 
proud  bearing  renewed  the  confidence  of  the  army,  who  felt  that  the  arrival  of 
Reynolds'  corps,  with  its  historic  record,  was  no  ordinary  reenforcement. 

All  day  long  we  remained  quiet  in  the  earthworks 
Sunday,  constructed  by  us  in  such  haste,  wondering  at  our 
May  3.  inactivity.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  First  Corps  had 

become  so  excited  by  what  it  had  seen  and  by  the  fears 
of  an  impending  disaster  to  the  army,  that  it  was  eager  to  take  an 
active  part  in  the  battle,  the  sound  of  which  could  be  plainly  heard. 
Nor  was  there  a  general  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  better  able  to 
lead  it  to  victory  than  its  commander,  Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds,  who 
was  regarded  by  his  corps  with  enthusiastic  admiration ;  but  the 
laurels  reserved  for  the  First  Corps,  under  his  command,  were  to  be 
won  elsewhere. 

During  the  day  General  Hooker  rode  along  the  line  and  was 
everywhere  received  with  shouts  of  enthusiasm. 

As  there  were  no  indications  of  an  attack  to  be  made 
Monday,  on  our  line,  a  reconnoissance  was  made  by  the  Twelfth 
May  4.  and  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  regiments,  and  the  Second 

Maine  Battery,  under  the  command  of  General  Robinson, 
with  orders  not  to  bring  on  an  engagement.  After  marching  half  a 
mile  to  the  front,  a  halt  was  ordered,  and  four  companies  of  infantry 
were  deployed  as  skirmishers,  when  the  column  slowly  advanced. 
The  rebels  being  sheltered  in  the  woods  and  thick  underbrush,  could 
not  be  seen.  In  this  attempt  seven  men  of  the  Thirteenth  were 


206  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  wounded,  one  of  whom  died  a  few  days  after.     It  having 

been  demonstrated  by  this  movement  that  the  enemy  were 
still  in  force  at  this  point,  we  returned  to  the  earthworks. 

During  the  night  the  regiment  was  several  times  called  to  arms, 
while  attacks  were  being  made  and  repulsed  on  our  right. 

Another  day  spent  in  the  trenches.  The  weather  was 
Tuesday,  excessively  hot  until  about  3  P.M.,  when  a  thunder- 
May  5.  shower  came  up  and  drenched  us  to  the  skin.  As  the 
water  poured  into  the  trenches  we  were  forced  to  evac 
uate  them  until  we  could  make  them  habitable  by  draining.  As 
darkness  came  on,  the  showers  were  succeeded  by  a  cold  north-east 
storm,  and  through  the  long  dreary  night  we  sat  on  the  edge  of  the 
trenches,  ready  to  jump  into  them  at  the  first  alarm.  Orders  were 
received  about  8  P.M.  to  retreat,  and  we  marched  about  three  miles 
when  information  was  received  that  the  river  had  risen  to  such  a 
height  as  to  make  it  impracticable  for  the  army  to  cross ;  so  we 
marched  back  to  the  trenches,  where  we  remained  until  3  o'clock  in 
the  morning. 

Whatever  the  hereafter  may  have  in  store  for  us  as  punishment  for 
our  misdemeanors,  we  sincerely  trust  that  credit  may  be  given  for 
this  night  of  misery.  In  the  three  years'  service  of  the  regiment 
it  would  be  difficult  to  recall  a  night  that  seemed  longer  or  where 
there  was  more  physical  discomfort.  Wearied  and  dejected,  drenched 
with  the  cold  rain,  in  expectation  to  move  at  any  moment,  we  still 
stayed  and  stayed  and  stayed. 

While  we  were  in  the  trenches,  information  was  received  that 
Stonewall  Jackson  was  killed.  It  used  to  be  a  common  saying  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  that  in  order  to  reach  Richmond  we  should  have 
to  go  "  over  a  Stonewall,  two  Hills,  and  a  Longstreet."  Something 
had  therefore  been  accomplished  for  the  Union  cause  by  the  battle 
of  Chancellorsville,  —  we  had  got  over  the  "  Stonewall."  The  celerity 
with  which  General  Jackson  could  move  an  army  from  one  point  to 
another  was  remarkable,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  his  equal  as 
an  executive  officer  had  not  been  seen.  As  an  instance  of  his  activ 
ity  we  recall,  when  we  were  at  Front  Royal,  watching  his  army  march 
ing  along  the  mountain- side  between  the  armies  of  McDowell  and 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  207 

1863.  Fremont,  unmolested,  —  except   for   the    feeble   attack 

made  by  Shields,  —  and  on  the  following  morning  at  day 
light  attacking  McClellan  at  Hanover  Court  House,  an  air-line  dis 
tance  of  more  than  ninety  miles,  as  we  learned  by  the  newspapers 
two  days  after  the  event.  It  seemed  incredible  to  us  at  the  time, 
yet  it  was  a  fact. 

Orders  came  at  last  to  move.  At  3  A.M.  we  took  up 
Monday,  the  line  of  march  on  muddy  roads  that  were  both 
May  6.  sticky  and  slippery,  to  the  United  States  Ford,  five  miles, 
where  we  were  to  cross  the  river.  Moving  was  better 
than  sitting  still  and  shaking  to  pieces  with  the  cold  ;  but  to  walk  on 
a  road  ankle-deep  in  mud,  with  the  rain  .still  falling,  failed  to  lessen 
our  misery  very  much.  We  finally  reached  the  river  without  halting 
once,  crossed  on  a  pontoon  bridge  covered  with  pine  boughs  to 
deaden  the  sound,  and  then  continued  five  miles  farther,  and  halted. 
It  was  impossible  to  light  fires,  so  the  men  munched  their  hardtack 
and  raw  pork,  and  lighted  their  pipes  for  a  smoke.  Some  of  the  boys 
attempted  sleep  by  sitting  on  knapsacks  with  their  backs  to  a  tree, 
only  to  tumble  over  in  the  mud  when  sleep  overtook  them.  After 
falling  into  the  mud  a  few  times,  a  man's  appearance  was  so  ludicrous 
that  even  the  most  miserable  could  not  restrain  their  laughter.  It  is 
under  such  circumstances  as  these  that  the  elasticity  of  youth  is  so 
valuable.  A  man  of  fifty  would  have  given  up  in  despair.  Little  by 
little  the  spirit  of  fun  was  revived.  Jokes  on  each  other's  appear 
ance  were  bandied  about,  and  songs  at  variance  with  our  condition 
were  sung  with  impromptu  words.  The  irresistible  desire  for  fun 
which  possessed  so  many  of  the  boys,  often  had  a  very  bracing  effect 
and  restored  some  of  the  good-humor  we  had  lost  in  the  trenches, 
by  which  we  escaped  the  proverbial  straw  that  breaks  the  camel's 
back. 

The  march  was  continued  to  Falmouth,  nine  miles  farther,  where 
we  halted,  and  where  we  pitched  our  shelters  for  the  night.  A 
ration  of  whiskey  was  given  each  man,  and  then  we  wrapped  our 
selves  in  our  wet  clothes  and  blankets,  and  laid  down  to  sleep.  Dur 
ing  the  night  the  rain  came  in  such  torrents  that  we  were  completely 
flooded  out.  Every  article  we  owned  was  soaked  with  water,  and  of 


208  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  course  further  sleep  was  out  of  the  question.     This  was 

the  time  for  Mark  Tapley  with  his  "  Let  us  be  jolly  !  " 
The  following  congratulatory  orders  by  Generals  Hooker  and  Lee, 
respecting  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  will  be  read  with  interest  by 
all  who  took  part  in  that  campaign  : 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

\TO    .„  j  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTH,  VA.,  May  6,  1863. 

The  Major-General  commanding  tenders  to  this  army  his  congratulations  on  its 
achievements  of  the  last  seven  days.  If  it  has  not  accomplished  all  that  was  ex 
pected,  the  reasons  are  well  known  to  the  army.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  they  were 
of  a  character  not  to  be  foreseen  or  prevented  by  human  sagacity  or  resource. 

In  withdrawing  from  the  south  bank  of  the  Rappahannock  before  delivering  a 
general  battle  to  our  adversaries,  the  army  has  given  renewed  evidence  of  its  con 
fidence  in  itself  and  its  fidelity  to  the  principles  it  represents.  In  fighting  at  a 
disadvantage,  we  would  have  been  recreant  to  our  trust,  to  ourselves,  our  cause, 
and  our  country. 

Profoundly  loyal,  and  conscious  of  its  strength,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  will 
give  or  decline  battle  whenever  its  interest  or  honor  may  demand.  It  will  also 
be  the  guardian  of  its  own  history  and  its  own  fame. 

By  celerity  and  secrecy  of  movement,  our  advance  and  passage  of  the  rivers 
were  undisputed,  and  on  our  withdrawal  not  a  rebel  ventured  to  follow. 

The  events  of  the  last  week  may  swell  with  pride  the  heart  of  every  officer  and 
soldier  of  this  army.  We  have  added  new  lustre  to  its  renown.  We  have  made 
long  marches,  crossed  rivers,  surprised  the  enemy  in  his  intrenchments,  and  when 
ever  we  have  fought  have  inflicted  heavier  blows  than  we  have  received. 

We  have  taken  from  the  enemy  five  thousand  prisoners;  captured  and  brought 
off  seven  pieces  of  artillery,  fifteen  colors;  placed  hors  de  combat  eighteen  thou 
sand  of  his  chosen  troops ;  destroyed  his  depots  filled  with  vast  amounts  of  stores; 
deranged  his  communications;  captured  prisoners  within  the  fortifications  of  his 
capital,  and  filled  his  country  with  fear  and  consternation. 

We  have  no  other  regret  than  that  caused  by  the  loss  of  our  brave  companions, 
and  in  this  we  are  consoled  by  the  conviction  that  they  have  fallen  in  the  holiest 
cause  ever  submitted  to  the  arbitrament  of  battle. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Hooker, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 
GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  59.          /       HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

May  7,  1863. 

With  heartfelt  gratification  the  General  commanding  expresses  to  the  army  his 
sense  of  the  heroic  conduct  displayed  by  officers  and  men  during  the  arduous 


EKyTII    MASS.     VOLS.  I'M'' 

1863.  operations  in  which  they  have  just  been  engaged.  Under  trying 

vicissitudes  of  heat  and  storm  you  attacked  the  enemy,  strongly  in 
trenched  in  the  depths  of  a  tangled  wilderness,  and  again  on  the  hills  of  Freder- 
icksburg,  fifteen  miles  distant,  and,  by  valor  that  has  triumphed  on  so  many  fields, 
forced  him  once  more  to  seek  safety  beyond  the  Rappahannock.  While  this 
glorious  victory  entitles  you  to  the  praise  and  gratitude  of  the  nation,  we  are 
especially  called  upon  to  return  our  grateful  thanks  to  the  only  Giver  of  victory 
for  the  signal  deliverance  He  has  wrought.  It  is,  therefore,  earnestly  recom 
mended  that  the  troops  unite  on  Sunday  next  in  ascribing  to  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
the  glory  due  unto  His  name. 

Let  us  not  forget  in  our  rejoicing  the  brave  soldiers  who  have  fallen  in  defence 
of  their  country;  and,  while  we  mourn  their  loss,  let  us  resolve  to  emulate  their 
noble  example. 

The  army  and  the  country  alike  lament  the  absence  for  a  time  of  one  to  whose 
bravery,  energy,  and  skill  they  are  so  much  indebted  for  success. 

The  following  letter  from  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  is  communi 
cated  to  the  army,  as  an  expression  of  his  appreciation  of  its  success: 

"  [GENERAL  LEE:  I  have  your  despatch,  and  reverently  unite  in  giving  praise 
to  God  for  the  success  with  which  He  has  crowned  our  arms. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  people  I  offer  my  cordial  thanks  to  yourself  and  the 
troops  under  your  command  for  this  addition  to  the  unprecedented  series  of  great 
victories  which  your  armies  have  achieved. 

"The  universal  rejoicing  produced  by  this  happy  result  will  be  mingled  with  a 
general  regret  for  the  good  and  the  brave  who  are  remembered  among  the  killed 

and  the  wounded.]  " 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

When  daylight  appeared  we  were  sore  in  body  and 
Thursday,  sick  at  heart  as  we  thought  with  mortification  how  little 
May  7.  had  been  accomplished  since  leaving  our  camp  at 

Fletcher's  Chapel.  When  we  recalled  the  golden  promises 
of  Hooker's  manifesto,  in  which  was  stated  the  splendid  successes 
that  awaited  us,  "  that  the  enemy  must  leave  his  intrenchments  and 
fight  or  ingloriously  retreat,"  etc.,  some  of  the  boys  said,  "  Yes,  that's 
Joe  Hooker.  Let's  have  a  new  deal  for  a  commander." 

We  had  a  ray  of  comfort  in  the  weather,  which  again  became 
warm  and  pleasant.  This  was  really  something  to  be  thankful  for. 

About  10  o'clock  we  marched  to  White  Oak  Church,  seven  miles, 
and  camped  about  a  mile  from  our  winter  quarters,  at  Fletcher's 
Chapel. 


210  THREE    YE  All  S    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863. 

WASHINGTON,  June  5,  1863,  4  P.M. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  HOOKER: 

Yours  of  to-day  was  received  an  hour  ago.  So  much  of  professional  military 
skill  is  requisite  to  answer  it,  that  I  have  turned  the  task  over  to  General  Halleck. 
He  promises  to  perform  it  with  his  utmost  care.  I  have  but  one  idea  which  I 
think  worth  suggesting  to  you,  and  that  is,  in  case  you  find  Lee  coming  to  the 
north  of  the  Rappahannock,  I  would  by  no  means  cross  to  the  south  of  it.  If  he 
should  leave  a  rear  force  at  Fredericksburg,  tempting  you  to  fall  upon  it,  it  would 
fight  in  intrenchments,  and  have  you  at  a  disadvantage,  and  s'o,  man  for  man, 
worst  you  at  that  point,  while  his  main  force  would  in  some  way  be  getting  an 
advantage  of  you  northward.  In  one  word,  I  would  not  take  any  risk  of  being 
entangled  upon  the  river,  like  an  ox  jumped  half  over  a  fence  and  liable  to  be 
torn  by  dogs  in  front  and  rear,  without  a  fair  chance  to  gore  one  way  or  kick  the 
other.  If  Lee  would  come  to  my  side  of  the  river  I  would  keep  on  the  same  side, 
and  fight  him  or  act  on  the  defence,  according  as  might  be  my  estimate  of  his 
strength  relatively  to  my  own.  But  these  are  mere  suggestions,  which  I  desire  to 
be  controlled  by  the  judgment  of  yourself  and  General  Halleck. 

A.   LINCOLN. 


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THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  211 


CHAPTER   XI. 

l863-  WE  remained  in  camp  in  this  vicinity  until  June  12. 

During  this  time  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  usual 
camp  routine  of  drills,  reviews,  inspection,  and  parades,  besides 
doing  our  share  of  the  picket  duty  along  the  north  bank  of  the 
Rappahannock  River,  the  enemy's  pickets  being  on  the  south  bank, 
within  easy  hearing  distance. 

On  the  2d  of  May  the  regiment  was  transferred  from  the  third  to 
the  second  brigade  in  the  same  division  under  command  of  General 
Robinson ;  General  Reynolds  continuing  in  command  of  the  First 
Army  Corps.  Our  associates  in  the  second  brigade  were  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fourth  New  York,  the  Sixteenth  Maine,  and  the  One 
Hundred  and  Seventh  Pennsylvania  regiments.  The  Eleventh  Penn 
sylvania  was  subsequently  transferred  to  the  same  brigade,  to  our 
very  great  pleasure.  All  this  time  active  preparations  were  being 
made  for  another  campaign,  while  we  freely  discussed  the  compe 
tency  of  generals,  planned  campaigns,  and  patiently  waited  for  an 
order  from  Washington  to  take  command  of  the  army.  As  time 
rolled  on,  and  the  price  of  recruits  advanced,  we  learned  that  the 
Government  felt  that  we  were  doing  too  good  a  service  in  the  ranks 
to  be  transferred  to  the  head  of  an  army.  The  wishes  of  the 
Government  were  not  to  be  lightly  set  aside,  so  we  continued  to  tote 
a  knapsack  and  gun,  though  we  yearned  occasionally  for  the  comfort 
able  quarters  of  a  major-general. 

So  much  complaint  was  made  about  carrying  out  the  order  of 
March  2ist,  respecting  the  wearing  of  badges,  that  on  the  i2th  of 
May  General  Hooker  issued  an  order  containing  the  following 
paragraphs  : 

The  badges  worn  by  the  troops,  when  lost  or  torn  off,  must  be  immediately 
replaced. 


212  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  Provost  marshals  will  arrest  as  stragglers   all  other  troops  (but 

those  designated  as  being  without  badges)  found  without  badges, 
and  return  them  to  their  commander  under  guard. 

From  this  time  on  the  corps  badge  was  universally  worn,  and 
proved  a  great  convenience,  besides  exciting  a  feeling  of  pride 
among  the  men. 

From  time  to  time  fears  were  entertained  at  headquarters  that  the 
enemy  were  intending  to  cross  the  river,  and  orders  were  received 
to  move,  but  were  countermanded  in  season  to  prevent  us  from 
marching. 

We  received  about  this  time  a  lot  of  books  and  pamphlets  from 
home,  collected  by  some  kind  friends  who  were  not  forgetful  of  our 
wants.  They  afforded  us  a  good  deal  of  pleasure,  and  helped  to  wear 
away  the  depression  that  we  shared  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the 
army  at  our  recent  defeats. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  50.  /  HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS,  June  10,  1863. 

I.  Existing  orders  require  a  critical  inspection  of  companies  half  an  hour  be 
fore  dress  parade,  the  object  of  which  is  to  see  that  men  are  in  a  proper  condition 
to  go  on  parade,  that  the  clothing  and  accoutrements  are  clean  and  in  good  order. 
At  dress  parade  of  ceremony,  officers  and  men  will  be  required  to  appear  in 
uniform.  Regimental  commanders  are  reminded  that  white  hats  and  butternut- 
colored  sacks  form  no  part  of  the  prescribed  dress  of  a  soldier,  and  must  not  be 
worn  on  parade.  Soldiers  will  be  allowed  to  wear  them  on  fatigue.  The  practice 
of  wearing  boots  or  stockings  outside  of  pantaloons  must  be  suppressed  on  parade. 

By  command  of 

GENERAL   ROBINSON. 

At  4  A.M.  we  broke  camp  and  marched  in  a  westerly 
Friday,  direction  via  Stoneman's  Switch  on  the  road  toward 
June  12.  Bealton  Station,  following  the  Rappahannock  River,  and 
bivouacking  at  Deep  Run,  a  distance  of  twenty-five 
miles.  It  was  a  scorching  hot  day,  and  the  road  was  very  dusty. 
It  occasionally  happened,  through  somebody's  stupidity,  that  troops, 
by  taking  the  wrong  road,  had  their  march  considerably  lengthened. 
This  was  one  of  those  occasions ;  several  miles  of  hard  work  were 
squandered  in  consequence  of  being  misdirected.  This  kind  of 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  213 

1863.  foolishness  does  not  sweeten  the  temper  of  a  man  who  is 

working  for  $13  per  month.  "  Let  not  the  sun  go  down 
on  your  wrath,"  said  Paul  the  Apostle.  As  the  sun  was  already  down 
when  our  wrath  was  excited,  we  had  nearly  twenty-four  hours  to  spare 
before  obeying  this  command. 

A  learned  writer  on  the  Holy  Scriptures  says  :  "  It  is  acknowledged 
that  neither  the  Apostles  nor  Fathers  have  absolutely  condemned 
swearing,  or  the  use  of  oaths,  upon  every  occasion,  and  upon  all  sub 
jects.  There  are  circumstances  wherein  we  cannot  morally  be 
excused  from  it ;  but  we  never  ought  to  swear  but  upon  urgent 
necessity,  and  to  do  some  considerable  good  by  it."  According  to 
our  ideas,  instances  like  the  one  just  described  justified  a  liberal  use 
of  "  cuss  words." 

While  we  halted  at  noon  to-day  an  ambulance  was  driven  by  us 
containing  a  man  who  was  to  be  shot  for  desertion.  The  man 
belonged  to  one  of  the  Union  regiments,  and  during  the  winter 
deserted  to  the  enemy.  It  appears  that  a  detachment  of  Union 
troops  while  on  picket  saw  a  soldier  in  Union  uniform  acting  rather 
suspiciously,  as  if  he  wished  to  get  away  unnoticed ;  whereupon  he 
was  headed  off  and  captured  by  men  of  his  own  regiment,  the 
Nineteenth  Indiana.  Under  his  blue  uniform  he  was  found  to  have 
a  Confederate  suit  of  gray.  About  him  were  found  papers  contain 
ing  the  numbers  and  locations  of  Union  troops.  He  was  tried  by 
court-martial  and  sentenced  to  be  shot,  and  was  now  on  his  way  to 
take  part  in  that  rather  unpleasant  ceremony. 

His  corps  was  halted  for  an  hour  at  Hartwood  Church,  where  he 
was  taken  into  a  field,  blindfolded  and  tied,  seated  on  a  box  that 
was  to  be  his  coffin,  and  shot  by  a  detail  of  twelve  men.  A  certain 
number  of  the  guns  were  loaded  without  ball  in  order  to  deceive  the 
men  into  thinking  that  some  other  fellow's  gun  did  the  work.  It  is 
an  unpleasant  duty  at  best,  but  the  circumstances,  in  this  case,  were 
particularly  aggravating.  When  the  unfortunate  victim  was  launched 
into  eternity,  as  the  newspapers  say,  the  drums  were  sounded  and  the 
bands  struck  up  the  liveliest  airs  ;  and  while  his  soul  went  marching 
on,  we  marched  on  until  we  halted  for  the  night,  bivouacking  in  the 
same  field  where  we  stopped  last  November  on  our  way  from  Rappa- 


214  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  hannock  Station.     Some  of  the  boys  expressed  a  curiosity 

to  know  if  it  was  as  hot  where  the  deserter  had  gone  as 
it  was  here,  where  we  were  marching. 

In  a  cloud  of  dust  we  marched  ten  miles  to  Bealton 
Saturday,  Station,  on  the  Orange  &  Alexandria  Railroad.  The 
June  13.  water  was  about  as  scarce  as  whiskey,  and  so  bad  that 

something  ought  to  have  been  provided  to  kill  the 
animalcula  it  contained. 

It  was  evident  that  an  army  must  not  be  hampered  by 
Sunday,  religious  principles.  We  wondered  if  Miles  Standish  ever 
June  14.  marched  his  army  on  Sundays.  "  In  war  there  are  no 

Sundays,"  as  Daniel  Webster  once  remarked. 
We  started  promptly  at  8  A.M.,  marching  through  Manassas  Junc 
tion  and  Catlett's  Station,  near  where  we  were  stationed  a  year  ago, 
and  thence  to  Kettle  Run,  which  place  we  reached  at  sunset  and 
where  we  halted  for  an  hour  to  cook  coffee,  then  resumed  our  march, 
crossing  Broad  Run  near  Bristow  Station,  at  the  old  mill,  arriving  at 
Manassas  Junction  at  3.30  A.M.,  a  distance  of  twenty-three  miles. 
All  day  long  we  were  subjected  to  wearisome  delays  caused  by 
obstructions  in  the  road  by  wagons  and  artillery,  fording  brooks 
or  crossing  streams  imperfectly  bridged,  until  our  patience  was 
well-nigh  exhausted.  When  the  order  was  given  to  halt,  the  men 
dumped  themselves  on  the  damp  grass,  and  went  to  sleep. 

After  five  hours'  rest  we  started  again,  marching  eight 
Monday,  miles  to  Centreville,  which  point  we  reached  about  noon, 
June  15.  and  where  we  remained  until  the  lyth.  The  continued 

northerly  direction  we  were  pursuing  began  to  excite  the 
curiosity  of  the  boys  as  to  what  was  going  on.  As  we  were  not  in 
receipt  of  papers  nor  in  the  confidence  of  General  Hooker,  we.  could 
only  make  guesses.  In  the  meantime  we  kept  pegging  on  toward 
Boston,  Mass.,  pumping  all  the  people  collected  on  the  road-side  as 
to  the  whereabouts  of  General  Lee,  or  whether  they  had  heard  the 
war  was  over,  or  that  General  Washington  was  dead.  "No,  massa; 
don't  know  nufnn  at  all." 

"You  tell  General  Lee  we'll  be  back  in  the  fall,  but  just  now  we're 
going  to  Saratoga,  where  it's  cooler." 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  215 

1863.  "  Yes,  massa." 

The  thirst  for  information  was  so  great  about  this  time 
that  the  "  camp  gossips  "  put  in  a  good  lot  of  work,  resulting  in  some 
of  the  most  ridiculous  yarns  ever  heard  in  the  army. 

We  did  have  ocular  proof  to-day  that  Lee's  army  was  marching 
north.  When  you  see  geese  flying  north,  look  out  for  warm  weather ; 
when  you  see  rebels  marching  north,  look  out  for  warm  fighting.  The 
country  was  full  of  guerillas,  and  that  enterprising  cutthroat,  Mosby, 
did  a  thriving  business  in  capturing  and  mutilating  the  bodies  of 
Union  soldiers. 

The  First  Corps  had  been  acting  thus  far  on  our  journey  as  rear 
guard  to  the  army. 

We  remained  quietly  resting.  The  regimental  sutler 
Tuesday,  arrived  in  camp,  and  those  of  us  who  had  money  or 
June  16.  credit  proceeded  at  once  to  fill  the  aching  void  caused  by 
short  rations  and  hard  work.  We  were  serenaded  by  the 
band  of  the  Thirty-third  Massachusetts,  a  bit  of  politeness  and  con 
sideration  that  we  highly  appreciated.  It  had  a  good  effect  on  the 
boys,  as  good  music  always  does.  We  would  have  liked  mighty  well  to 
have  asked  the  boys  to  "  licker,"  but  there  was  "  no  balm  in  Gilead." 

During  the  day  we  received  the  rather  startling  intelligence  that 
the  Confederate  army  was  in  Maryland  and  prancing  along  toward  a 
cooler  climate,  as  though  they  liked  it.  Hooker  informed  us  that 
"  the  enemy  must  leave  his  intrenchments  and  fight  or  ingloriously 
retreat,"  etc.,  and  now  he  was  'way  north  of  us.  If  Lee  had  lost  his 
way,  there  was  nothing  for  us  to  do  but  hunt  him  up  and  put  him  on 
the  right  track. 

We  celebrated  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  by  turning  out 
Wednesday,  at   2   o'clock  in  the  morning  to  prepare  for  marching. 

June  17.      We    got    away    by    3    and    marched    toward    Chain 

Bridge,  changing  our  direction    before  arrival  at  that 

point,  and  continued  on  to  Herndon,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles.    Our 

new  brigadier-general  was  Gabriel  R.  Paul,  whom  the  boys  clubbed 

the  "  Apostle."     He  was  a  brave  and  excellent  officer. 

This  was  so  hot  a  day  that  sixty  men  in  the  corps  were  sunstruck. 
The  thermometer  registered  100°. 


216  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  We  struck  tents  in  the  morning,  expecting  orders  to 

Thursday,     marcn  •  but  no  orders  came,  and  so  we  laid  quiet,  putting 
June  1 8.        -n  ajj  t^e  sieep  we  couid^  which  was    considerable,   in 
spite  of  the  burning  heat  of  the  sun,  while  General  Lee 
was  amusing  himself  in  "  Maryland,  my  Maryland." 

Marched  three  miles  to  Guilford  Station,  on  the  Lees- 
Friday,          burg  Railroad.     Everything  we  could  dispense  with  was 
June  19.        now  thrown  away,  even  at  the  risk  of  getting  in  the  same 
condition  in  which  St.  Thomas  a  Becket  was  found  when 
he  died,  —  lousy. 

Guards  were  put  on  the  fences  to  prevent  our  taking  rails. 

About  half  the  regiment  was  put  on  picket,  and  were  called  in  dur 
ing  the  night,  returning  in  a  violent  storm.  Orders  were  counter 
manded,  and  back  on  picket  went  we.  Noticing  the  guard  had  been 
taken  off  the  fences,  we  "hooked  "  a  lot  of  rails,  which  we  carried  along 
with  us.  "  It  is  a  sin  to  steal  a  pin,  much  more  to  steal  a  bigger 
thing."  These  rails  were  useful,  as  the  streams  were  very  much 
swollen  by  the  rain,  whereupon  the  rails  were  fastened  together, 
and  used  as  bridges. 

The  following  was  designated  by  the  boys  as  "  Paul's  Epistle  to 
his  brigade  :  " 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  i  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE, 

No.  41.  r  SECOND  DIVISION,  FIRST  A.  C. 

June  22,  1863. 

I.  In  order  to  ensure  uniformity,  no  words  of  command  or  forms  of  parade,  "  not 
prescribed  in  the  General  Regulations  or  in  Casey's  tactics,"  will  be  allowed  in 
the  regiments  of  this  brigade. 

II.  It  is  expected  at  guard  mounting  and  on  parade  and  reviews  the  officers 
and  enlisted  men  will  be  neatly  dressed,  and  their  accoutrements  put  on  in  a  soldier 
like  manner.     On  parades  pioneers  will  be  in  the  ranks  with  their  respective  com 
panies. 

The  color  guard  will  consist  of  one  sergeant  and  five  corporals,  who  will  be 
selected  for  accuracy  in  marching  and  soldier-like  deportment.  The  companies 
being  numbered  from  right  to  left,  the  first  sergeants,  when  they  report  the  re 
sults  of  the  roll-call,  will  say  in  a  quick,  firm  tone,  "  First  company  all  present," 
or  "  Second  company  three  absent,"  and  so  on  as  the  case  may  be. 

III.  Sentinels  will  not  be  permitted   to    sit,  read,  or  talk  on  post,  or  to  bring 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  217 

1863.  their  pieces  to    the  order.     They  will  habitually  walk  their  post, 

watching  vigilantly  and  allowing  no  infractions  of  orders. 
By  command  of 

G.  R.  PAUL, 
Brigadier-  General  Commanding. 

"  And  God  wrought  special  miracles  by  the  hand  of  Paul." 

We  remained  at  Guilford  Station  until  June  25,  engaged  in  such 
light  amusements  as  dress  parades  and  brigade  drills,  sandwiched 
with  a  liberal  allowance  of  guard  duty. 

Information  reached  General  Hooker  that  General 
Thursday,  T,ee  had  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Williamsport  and  Shep- 
June  25.  herdstown,  whereupon  the  First  Corps  was  put  in  motion, 
and  we  crossed  the  river  into  Maryland  at  Edward's 
Ferry.  Thence  we  marched  through  Poolsville,  where  we  spent  a 
rainy  night  on  Sept.  6,  1861,  and  then  to  Barnesville,  where  we  halted 
for  the  night,  having  marched  about  twenty  miles. 

We  were  about  the  first  troops  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to 
cross  the  river.  Some  idea  of  the  situation  of  the  two  armies,  with 
relation  to  Gettysburg,  may  be  obtained  by  bearing  in  mind  that 
Shepherdstown  was  twenty-four  miles  in  an  air  line  north-west  from 
our  camp-ground  of  last  night,  and  Williamsport  thirty-six  miles  in 
the  same  direction,  as  may  be  seen  on  referring  to  the  map  accom 
panying  this  chapter.  Williamsport  was  thirty-five  miles  from  Gettys 
burg,  while  Shepherdstown  was  forty-one  miles.  Our  camp-ground  at 
Guilford  Station  was  sixty-five  miles  from  Gettysburg,  thirty  miles 
farther  away  than  Williamsport,  where  Lee  was  reported  to  be. 
From  Fredericksburg  to  the  Potomac  River  the  rebel  army  had 
marched  a  greater  distance  than  ours.  They  had  an  unobstructed 
road,  with  a  purpose  in  view ;  while  we  were  constantly  delayed,  not 
only  from  our  uncertainty  of  their  movements,  but  the  constant  hin 
drance  of  our  wagon  trains,  which  blocked  the  roads  for  hours.  It 
was  impossible  to  move  faster  than  the  wagon  train  could  go,  as 
it  would  not  do  to  leave  our  supplies  behind  to  be  captured  by 
Mosby  or  Stuart. 

They  had,  while  in  Virginia,  a  great  advantage  over  us  in  this  re 
spect,  as  they  could  depend  on  the  friendly  hospitality  of  the  coun- 


THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  try,  while  we  were  obliged  not  only  to  carry  our  supplies, 

but  to  protect  them.  When  moving  in  the  opposite 
direction,  toward  Richmond,  we  were  leaving  our  base  of  supplies 
while  they  were  returning  to  theirs. 

We  were  now  back  in  Maryland  among  the  people  we  met  in  the 
summer  of  1861.  It  seemed  pleasant  once  more  to  see  smiling 
faces  and  to  be  greeted  with  friendly  words.  The  Union  people  of 
Maryland  were  very  much  disturbed  as  to  what  might  happen  if  Lee 
was  successful  in  his  invasion  of  the  Northern  States.  As  we  marched 
northward,  the  feeling  took  possession  of  us  that  we  were  now  about 
to  fight  for  our  homes,  and  the  impending  battle  would  be  one  of 
intensity,  though  we  were  all  in  the  dark  as  to  where  it  might  be 
fought.  These  people,  whose  friendly  hospitality  we  had  enjoyed 
two  years  before,  were  now  in  danger,  and  they  looked  to  the  Union 
army  for  protection,  and  without  doubt  this  feeling  had  an  influence 
in  the  events  that  followed. 

On  General  Lee's  previous  excursion  into  Maryland,  during  the 
Antietam  campaign,  he  issued  the  following  circular  to  the  people 
of  that  State.  There  is  no  evidence  in  the  War  Records  that  he 
treated  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  with  such  an  appeal.  Possibly 
he  thought  it  was  unnecessary.  It  is  interesting  as  a  curiosity,  if 
nothing  more. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

NEAR  FREDERICKTOWN,  MD.,  Sept.  8th,  1862. 
To  the  People  of  Maryland  : 

It  is  right  that  you  should  know  the  purpose  that  brought  the  army  under  my 
command  within  the  limits  of  your  State,  so  far  as  the  purpose  concerns  your 
selves.  The  people  of  the  Confederate  States  have  long  watched  with  the 
deepest  sympathy  the  wrongs  and  outrages  that  have  been  inflicted  upon  the 
citizens  of  a  commonwealth  allied  to  the  States  of  the  South  by  the  strongest 
social,  political,  and  commercial  ties.  They  have  seen  with  profound  indignation 
their  sister  State  deprived  of  every  right,  and  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  con 
quered  province.  Under  the  pretence  of  supporting  the  Constitution,  but  in 
violation  of  its  most  valuable  provisions,  your  citizens  have  been  arrested  and 
imprisoned  upon  no  charge  and  contrary  to  all  forms  of  law.  The  faithful  and 
manly  protest  against  this  outrage  made  by  the  venerable  and  illustrious  Mary- 
lander,  to  whom  in  better  days  no  citizen  appealed  for  right  in  vain,  was  treated 
with  scorn  and  contempt;  the  government  of  your  chief  city  has  been  usurped 
by  armed  strangers;  your  legislature  has  been  dissolved  by  the  unlawful  arrest  of 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  219 

1863.  its  members;   freedom  of  the  press  and  of  speech  has  been  sup 

pressed  ;  words  have  been  declared  offences  by  an  arbitrary  decree 
of  the  Federal  Executive,  and  citizens  ordered  to  be  tried  by  a  military  commission 
for  what  they  may  dare  to  speak.  Believing  that  the  people  of  Maryland  pos 
sessed  a  spirit  too  lofty  to  submit  to  such  a  government,  the  people  of  the  South 
have  long  wished  to  aid  you  in  throwing  off  this  foreign  yoke,  to  enable  you 
again  to  enjoy  the  inalienable  rights  of  freemen,  and  restore  independence  and 
sovereignty  to  your  State.  In  obedience  to  this  wish,  an  army  has  come  among 
you,  and  is  prepared  to  assist  you  with  the  power  of  its  arms  in  regaining  the 
rights  of  which  you  have  been  despoiled. 

This,  citizens  of  Maryland,  is  our  mission  so  far  as  you  are  concerned.  No 
constraint  upon  your  free  will  is  intended ;  no  intimidation  will  be  allowed  within 
the  limits  of  this  army,  at  least.  Marylanders  shall  once  more  enjoy  their  ancient 
freedom  of  thought  and  speech.  We  know  no  enemies  among  you,  and  will  pro 
tect  all,  of  every  opinion.  It  is  for  you  to  decide  your  destiny  freely  and  with 
out  constraint.  This  army  will  respect  your  choice,  whatever  it  may  be;  and 
while  the  Southern  people  will  rejoice  to  welcome  you  to  your  natural  position 
among  them,  they  will  only  welcome  you  when  you  come  of  your  own  free  will. 

R.    E.    LEE, 

General  Commanding. 
"  Throwing  off  this  foreign  yoke  "  is  good. 

At  6  A.M.  we  marched  over  the  Catoctin  mountains  to 
Friday,  Adamstovvn,  through  Greenfield's  Mill,  across  Monocacy 
June  26.  River,  and  thence  to  Jefferson,  a  distance  of  eighteen 
miles,  through  the  rain  and  mud.  The  route  was  cir 
cuitous,  owing  to  a  change  made  in  the  direction  of  our  march,  by 
orders  from  headquarters. 

Marched  to  a  mile  beyond  Middletown,  a  distance  of 
Saturday,  eight  miles  for  the  day.  As  we  passed  through  Middle- 
June  27.  town  we  were  greeted  with  the  same  kindly  hospitality  we 

met  with  on  our  previous  marches  through  this  town. 
The  resignation  of  General  Hooker,  which  is  quoted  in  full,  was 

accepted  by  the  President : 

SANDY  HOOK,  June  27,  i  P.M. 
MAJ.-GEN.  II.  \V.  HALLECK,  General-in-Chief: 

My  original  instructions  require  me  to  cover  Harper's  Ferry  and  Washington. 
I  have  now  imposed  upon  me,  in  addition,  an  enemy  in  my  front  of  more  than  my 
number.  I  beg  to  be  understood,  respectfully  and  firmly,  that  I  am  unable  to 
comply  with  this  condition  with  the  means  at  my  disposal,  and  earnestly  request 
that  I  may  at  once  be  relieved  from  the  position  I  occupy. 

JOSEPH  HOOKER, 

3/tijor-  General. 


220  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  In  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  following  com 

munication,  General  Meade  was  placed  at  the  head  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY, 

WASHINGTON,,  D.C.,  June  27,  1863. 
MAJ.-GEN.  GEORGE  G.  MEADE,  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

GENERAL  :  You  will  receive  with  this  the  order  of  the  President  placing  you  in 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Considering  the  circumstances,  no  one 
ever  received  a  more  important  command,  and  I  cannot  doubt  that  you  will  fully 
justify  the  confidence  which  the  Government  has  reposed  in  you. 

You  will  not  be  hampered  by  any  minute  instructions  from  these  headquarters. 
Your  army  is  free  to  act  as  you  may  deem  proper  under  the  circumstances  as  they 
arise.  You  will,  however,  keep  in  view  the  important  fact  that  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  is  the  covering  army  of  Washington,  as  well  as  the  army  of  operation 
against  the  invading  forces  of  the  rebels.  You  will,  therefore,  manoeuvre  and 
fight  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cover  the  capital  and  also  Baltimore,  as  far  as  circum 
stance  will  admit.  Should  General  Lee  move  upon  either  of  these  places,  it  is 
expected  that  you  will  either  anticipate  him  or  arrive  with  him  so  as  to  give  him 
battle. 

All  forces  within  the  sphere  of  your  operations  will  be  held  subject  to  your 
orders. 

Harper's  Ferry  and  its  garrison  are  under  your  direct  orders. 

You  are  authorized  to  remove  from  your  command,  and  to  send  from  your 
army,  any  officer  or  other  person  you  may  deem  proper,  and  to  appoint  to  com 
mand  as  you  may  deem  expedient. 

In  fine,  General,  you  are  intrusted  with  all  the  power  and  authority  which  the 
President,  Secretary  of  War,  or  the  General-in-Chief  can  confer  on  you,  and  you 
may,  rely  upon  our  full  support. 

You  will  keep  me  fully  informed  of  all  your  movements,  and  the  positions  of 
your  own  troops  and  those  of  the  enemy,  so  far  as  you  know. 

I  shall  always  be  ready  to  advise  and  assist  you  to  the  utmost  of  my  ability. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  W.  IIALLECK, 

General-in-  Chief. 

Marched  over  the  mountain  to  Frederick  City,  a 
Sunday,  distance  of  ten  miles.  These  familiar  scenes  raised  the 
June  28.  spirits  of  the  regiment  very  high,  and  the  old  war  songs 

were  sung  with  a  fervor  we  hadn't  felt  for  a  long  time. 
The  colonel  announced  to  the  regiment  that  General  Meade  was 
to  take  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  place  of  General 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  221 

1863.  Hooker,  removed  ;  adding,  jocosely,  "that  we  needn't  be 

discouraged,  as  we  all  might  yet  receive  the  same  honor." 

Monday,  We   made    a    forced    march   of    twenty-six    miles    to 

June  29.         Emmitsburg,    passing  through    the    town  and    camping 

about  a  mile  beyond,  on  the  Fairfax  road.     It  rained  all 

day,  and  many  of  the  men  were  obliged  to  march  barefoot  for  want 

of  shoes. 

The  inhabitants  brought  to  the  roadside  bread,  milk,  cheese,  and 
other  eatables,  which  they  freely  dispensed  to  us  as  we  passed  along. 
To  be  the  recipients  of  such  kindness  from  the  people  had  a  great 
effect  in  enlivening  the  spirits  of  the  boys. 

While  halting  at  Mechanicsville,  a  farmer  and  his  wife  were 
seated  in  a  wagon  loaded  with  bread  which  they  tossed  to  the 
hungry  soldiers,  his  wife  sobbing  and  bemoaning  the  terrible  fate 
that  awaited  us.  "Oh,  boys,  you  don't  kno\v  what's  before  you. 
I'm  afraid  many  of  ye'll  be  dead  or  mangled  soon,  for  Lee's  whole 
army  is  ahead  of  ye  and  there'll  be  terrible  fighting."  One  of  our 
officers  jumped  on  to  the  wagon  to  help  the  farmer,  shouting,  "  WTalk 
up,  boys,  and  get  your  rations  !  Bread  and  tears,  tears  and 
bread,"  while  he  tossed  the  loaves  about.  "Who  takes  another?" 
The  boys,  undismayed  by  the  old  lady's  prophetic  words,  shouted 
their  thanks,  with  "(iod  bless  you,  old  lady!"  and  rousing  cheers 
for  the  old  gentleman. 

The  people  in  the  town  of  Kmmitsburg  were  jubilant  at  sight  of 
the  troops,  whom  they  greeted  with  great  cordiality.  Without  regard 
to  rank,  everybody  on  horseback  was  greeted  with  "  Three  cheers 
for  the  '  general '  !  "  which  were  given  with  a  will. 

There  was  an  irrepressible  spirit  of  levity  in  the  Thirteenth,  and 
presumably  in  other  regiments,  as  there  is  no  patent  on  the  animal 
spirits  of  young  men.  If  there  was  any  fun  to  be  had,  it  was  soon 
found.  Toward  the  last  of  our  service  it  was  hard  pickings,  but 
still  there  was  some  one  to  excite  laughter  by  a  quaint  saying,  an  apt 
nickname,  or  innocent  joke,  to  relieve  the  strain  and  monotony  of 
our  daily  lives.  We  were  just  as  likely  to  get  our  fun  out  of  a  major- 
general  as  we  were  out  of  ourselves.  The  dignity  and  importance 
that  hedged  a  general  never  affected  us  in  the  least.  Every  oppor- 


222  TIIJiKK    YE AES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  tunity  to  ridicule  or  criticise  the  doings  of  an  officer  out 

side  the  regiment  was  taken  advantage  of  by  the  wits  and 
the  growlers,  to  excite  mirth  or  ridicule.  We  were  never  quite  satis 
fied  with  ourselves  if  we  failed  in  fastening  a  nickname  on  a  general 
officer,  particularly  if  he  was  a  martinet,  or  if  he  presented  some 
peculiarity  of  manner  or  dress  that  suggested  a  name.  One  officer 
was  called  "  Old  Crummy,"  another  "  Butter  and  Cheese,"  another 
the  " Apostle,"  and  still  another  "Old  Bowels."  Nicknames  were 
so  common  among  ourselves  that  few  of  the  boys  escaped  without 
one. 

General  Abercombie  said  we  were  "  a  d d  impertinent  lot,  fit 

only  for  the  guard-house,"  and  from  his  point  of  view  perhaps  he 
was  justified  in  saying  so.  His  temper  had  such  a  beautiful  feather 
edge  that  the  boys,  with  the  thoughtlessness  of  youth,  couldn't  resist 
the  temptation  of  stirring  him  up  just  to  hear  him  swear.  If  he  had 
been  a  man  of  calm  and  equable  temper  he  would  have  escaped 
our  notice. 

Just  as  soon  as  a  lot  of  boys  discover  that  a  man  takes  notice  of 
their  gibes  the  fun  begins.  You  might  as  well  stir  up  a  hornets' 
nest  as  to  notice  the  remarks  of  young  boys,  as  every  sensible  per 
son  knows.  We  had  no  intention  of  being  insubordinate,  yet  our 
conversation  was  often  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  a  passing  officer, 
as  happened  to-day  on  our  march  to  Emmitsburg,  while  General 
Robinson  and  his  staff  were  sitting  on  a  piazza,  taking  a  rest  as  we 
went  by.  There  was  no  impropriety  in  their  doing  so,  and  really 
nothing  to  complain  of.  The  boys  themselves  were  tired  out  with 
days  of  constant  marching,  and  as  we  passed  the  house  where  these 
officers  were  so  comfortably  sitting,  one  of  the  boys  remarked  with 
a  rather  loud  voice,  "  How  they  must  suffer  !  "  Shortly  after,  one  of 
the  general's  staff  approached  our  colonel  and  in  a  very  excite:!  man 
ner  said,  "  Colon<?/,  your  men  have  insulted  ze  genera/." 

"  My  men?  " 

"Yes,  colons/,  your  men  have  insulted  /e  genera/." 

"  In  what  way?" 

"  Zay  said, '  How  zay  must  suffer  !  '  " 

"  Well,  don't  they  suffer?  "  said  the  colonel. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  223 

1863.  "  I   will  go  back  and  zay  that    v<nt  have  insulted  ze 

genera/." 

General  Robinson  was  too  sensible  a  man  to  bother  with  the  re 
marks  of  tired  soldiers.  So  long  as  the  men  made  good  time  in 
their  marching,  he  was  quite  willing  they  should  relieve  their  feel 
ings,  even  at  his  expense,  and  we  never  thought  any  worse  of  General 
Robinson,  who  was  an  estimable  officer,  for  taking  the  rest  he  must 
have  needed. 

It  was  part  of  our  daily  life  to  form  and  express  opinions  about 
matters  and  persons,  and  woe  betide  the  officer  who  was  silly  enough 
to  notice  them.  In  dealing  with  children  or  soldiers,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  it  doesn't  pay  to  have  your  hearing  or  your  eyesight 
too  keen. 

About  10  A.M.  we  marched  back  through  Emmitsburg, 
Tuesday,  meeting  the  Eleventh  Corps  on  our  way,  which  caused  us 
June  30.  a  good  deal  of  delay.  \Ve  passed  through  the  town  out 
upon  the  Gettysburg  road  about  two  miles,  near  Marsh 
Creek,  where  we  halted  and  stacked  arms,  it  being  asserted  that  the 
enemy  was  between  us  and  Gettysburg. 

It  having  rained  every  day  except  Sunday  since  we  crossed  the 
river,  the  roads  were  consequently  very  muddy. 

The  Eleventh  Corps  had  been  keeping  along  with  us,  but  the 
remainder  of  the  army  we  had  not  seen.  We  enjoyed  the  marching 
very  much,  in  spite  of  our  fatigue.  Day  after  day  we  were  met  on 
the  way  by  women  in  front  of  their  homes  with  pails  of  fresh  water, 
milk,  bread,  cake,  and  pies,  which  they  freely  distributed  among  us. 

The  following  order  by  General  Meade  was  this  day  read  to  the 
army  : 

The  enemy  are  upon  our  soil.  The  whole  country  now  looks  anxiously  to  this 
army  to  deliver  it  from  the  presence  of  the  foe.  Our  failure  to  do  so  will  leave 
us  no  such  welcome  as  the  swelling  of  millions  of  hearts  with  pride  and  joy  at 
our  success  would  give  to  every  soldier  of  this  army.  Homes,  firesides,  and 
domestic  altars  are  involved. 

Corps  commanders  are  authorized  to  order  the  instant  death  of  any  soldier  who 
fails  in  his  duty  at  this  hour. 

If  there  was  any  man  in  the  army  who  remained  unaffected  by  the 


224  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  words  of  confidence  and  reliance  that  had  been  showered 

upon  us  by  the  loyal  people  of  Maryland,  whose  generous 
hospitality  had  met  us  at  every  turn  of  the  road,  perhaps  the  closing 
paragraph  of  this  order  might  arouse  his  sluggish  nature  to  duty. 
The  fact  is  that  the  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  needed  no 
incentive  of  this  kind ;  it  had  fought  desperately  before,  when  suc 
cess  would  have  been  achieved  if  the  skill  of  its  commanders  had 
been  equal  to  the  valor  of  the  men. 

When  we  were  dismissed,  the  merits  of  this  circular  were  freely  dis 
cussed,  and  the  boys  were  pretty  generally  of  the  opinion  that  the 
sting  conveyed  in  the  closing  paragraph  was  undeserved  and  un 
necessary  to  an  army  with  a  record  for  fighting  such  as  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  had  won.  Later  on,  the  boys  thought  it  would  be 
rather  a  good  idea  for  the  rank  and  file  to  issue  a  manifesto  to  the 
commander,  expressing  the  hope  that  he  would  show  more  ability 
and  judgment  than  his  predecessors  had  shown  when  conducting  a 
great  battle,  and  above  all,  avoid  issuing  appeals  or  circulars  reflect 
ing  the  slightest  doubt  on  the  courage  of  the  men.  "Nelson  expects 
every  man  to  do  his  duty  !  "  were  the  only  words  of  that  great  com 
mander  to  his  men,  and  they  did  their  duty  and  did  it  nobly.  It  is 
often  within  the  power  of  a  commander  to  inspire  his  men  to  great 
deeds  by  words  of  confidence  in  their  courage  and  ability,  —  not  by 
intimidation. 

The  First  Corps  was  composed,  like  other  corps,  of  three  divisions  ; 
each  division  taking  its  turn  in  marching  at  the  head  of  the  column, 
as  brigades  also  do  in  their  respective  divisions. 

The  First,  Third,  and  Fifth  Corps  were  under  the  immediate  com 
mand  of  General  Reynolds.  The  First  was  at  Marsh  Creek,  the 
Eleventh  at  Emmitsburg,  and  the  Third  at  Taneytown,  under  orders 
to  relieve  the  Eleventh  Corps  at  Emmitsburg. 


4$ 

fr 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  225 


CHAPTER  XII. 

1863.  ACCORDING  to  the  official  report  of  our  adjutant,  we 

Wednesday,  starte(j  from  the  camp  at  j\[arsh  Creek  at  6  A.M.  for 

•'u  Gettysburg,  under  no  pressure  of  haste. 

One  could  scarcely  imagine  a  more  peaceful  scene 
than  this  lovely  valley  through  which  the  road  wound  its  way  to 
Gettysburg.  The  slight  shower  which  we  encountered  shortly  after 
starting,  disappeared,  having  washed  the  dust  from  every  blade  of 
grass  and  from  the  leaves  of  every  tree  ;  the  sun  shone  brightly 
and  the  air  was  fragrant  with  woodland  odors.  On  either  side  of  the 
road  were  thrifty  farms,  whose  ample  crops  had  already  begun  to 
show  the  effects  of  the  summer  sun. 

As  we  approached  the  town  of  Gettysburg,  we  saw  on  our  right  the 
two  round  tops,  as  yet  unknown  to  fame,  though  soon  to  be  inscribed 
on  the  indelible  page  of  history  ;  while  still  farther  along  we  passed 
the  "  peach  orchard  "  where  the  Third  Corps  so  bravely  fought  on 
the  following  day. 

As  the  brigade  moved  leisurely  along,  the  Thirteenth  on  the  right, 
we  at  last  came  in  sight  of  the  church-steeples  of  Gettysburg  to  the 
north  of  us,  when  we  halted  near  a  house  for  a  rest,  the  men  scat 
tering  themselves  on  the  grass  or  searching  for  water,  as  their  com 
fort  suggested.  During  this  time  the  sound  of  firing  was  plainly 
heard  from  beyond  the  town,  but  as  yet  we  knew  not  what  it  meant. 
Presently  a  staff  officer  came  galloping  up  in  great  haste,  making 
anxious  inquiries  for  General  Robinson,  an: I  with  great  excitement 
gave  orders  to  hurry  forward  all  troops.  Immediately  "Attention  !  " 
and  "  Fall  in  "  were  heard  all  along  the  road,  and  without  delay  we 
started  for  the  front  in  quick  time. 

Within  a  mile  of  the  town,  not  far  from  the  Codori  house,  we 
turned  from  the  road,  pursuing  a  northwesterly  course  across  the 


226  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  fields,  afterwards  made  famous  by  Pickett's  charge,  to  the 

westerly  side  of  the  Lutheran  Seminary  on  Seminary 
Ridge,  where  we  arrived  about  1 1  o'clock,  immediately  forming  in 
line  of  battle  facing  to  the  west,  while  the  first  division  of  the  corps 
was  already  engaged  near  the  Mummasburg  road  to  the  north  of  us. 
As  we  approached  the  Seminary,  news  was  received  that  General 
Reynolds  was  killed,  whereupon  we  involuntarily  quickened  our  step. 
By  an  order  from  General  Doubleday  we  proceeded  at  once,  with 
vigor  and  haste,  to  throw  up  earthworks,  which  became  very  useful 
to  others  before  the  day  was  over. 

While  we  were  on  Seminary  Ridge,  spent  cannon-balls  could  occa 
sionally  be  seen  rolling  slowly  along  the  earth  from  the  battle-ground 
to  the  north  of  us.  Such  a  sight  was  common  enough  during 
battles,  as  every  soldier  knows,  and  once  in  a  while  a  man  was 
seen  who  was  foolish  enough  to  try  stopping  one.  While  we  were 
busy  with  our  earthworks,  such  an  incident  happened  close  to  us. 
One  of  our  officers  saw  a  soldier  of  a  Wisconsin  regiment,  with  great 
glee,  boldly  put  out  his  heel  to  stop  a  ball  that  was  rolling  toward 
him,  supposing  it  to  be  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  do.  Those 
who  saw  his  purpose  yelled  with  all  their  might ;  but  it  was  too  late,  for 
when  their  remonstrances  reached  his  ear  his  leg  was  off.  The  poor 
fellow  cried  like  a  child  to  think  he  had  lost  his  leg  in  such  a  man 
ner,  when,  as  he  said,  he  would  gladly  have  lost  it  in  action.  It  was 
pitiable  to  see  his  grief  as  he  exclaimed,  "  I  shall  always  be  ashamed 
to  say  how  I  lost  it."  It  is  so  difficult  for  a  person  unacquainted 
with  the  fact  to  appreciate  the  latent  force  in  a  cannon-ball  as  it 
rolls  innocently  along  the  ground,  that  old  soldiers  took  pains  to  cau 
tion  new  recruits  about  the  danger  of  attempting  to  stop  one  with  the 
foot. 

In  about  half  an  hour  after  our  arrival  on  Seminary  Ridge,  orders 
were  received  to  move  to  the  front,  whereupon  we  filed  round  the 
front  of  the  building,  then  east  a  short  distance  to  the  bed  of  an  un 
finished  railroad,  then  north  and  north-west  to  an  oak  grove  near  the 
Mummasburg  road,  where  we  were  faced,  at  first,  to  the  north-west  in 
line  of  battle.  As  we  came  into  position  we  saw  the  rebel  line  ad 
vancing  by  brigades  formed  en  masse.  The  work  of  our  division  now 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  227 

1863.  began  in  earnest.     Firing  as  rapidly  as  possible  we  drove 

the  enemy  back,  while  we  slowly  advanced  toward  the 
Mummasburg  road.  Each  time  the  enemy  advanced  we  drove  him 
back,  while  up  and  down  the  line  officers  were  encouraging  the  men, 
while  the  men  themselves  cautioned  each  other  not  to  fire  too  high, 
but  make  every  shot  tell.  On  our  left  the  rebels  were  seen  coming 
down  the  slope,  while  on  our  right  flank  came  another  fire,  to  meet 
which  we  faced  more  to  the  north,  leaving  the  troops  on  the  left  to 
take  care  of  the  enemy  on  that  flank.  The  Eleventh  Corps  had  just 
arrived.  Forming  on  our  right,  it  left  a  dangerous  interval  of  nearly 
half  a  mile  between  its  left  and  our  right.  We  now  began  to  have  our 
hands  full  of  work.  About  this  time  a  charge  was  ordered,  but  luckily 
abandoned  before  our  weakness  was  shown.  Pretty  soon  a  rebel  bri 
gade  advanced  and  charged  into  the  road  in  front  of  us,  which  was  a 
sunken  one,  and  we  let  them  have  it  in  good  shape  as  they  ascended 
the  bank  nearest  us.  They  tried  to  get  back  to  the  other  side  of  the 
road,  but  they  were  in  a  pocket,  and  we  had  them  at  our  mercy. 
"  (iive  it  to  'em  for  Fredericksburg  !  "  shouted  some  one,  whereupon 
they  threw  up  their  hats  to  stop  firing,  and  the  Thirteenth  bagged  one 
hundred  and  thirty-two  prisoners,  including  seven  commissioned 
officers,  all  belonging  to  a  North  Carolina  regiment.  We  had  no  time 
to  lose,  for  along  came  another  line  outnumbering  any  of  the  preced 
ing  ones.  An  officer  in  our  rear  was  shouting  for  us  to  hold  on  as  long 
as  we  could,  while  on  our  right  the  Eleventh  Corps  were  making 
tracks  to  the  rear,  leaving  the  flank  of  the  First  Corps,  of  which  we 
were  the  flanking  regiment,  unprotected.  So  many  men  had  fallen 
that  our  line  looked  ridiculously  small  to  be  contending  with  the  large 
army  corps  now  approaching  us.  The  only  thing  we  could  do  was 
to  stand  still  and  fire,  though  the  rebel  batteries  were  now  getting  in 
their  work  and  making  it  very  uncomfortable  for  the  First  Corps, 
already  nearly  gone  to  pieces. 

Still  no  orders  came  to  leave,  nor  were  we  reenforced.  It  was  now 
four  o'clock  and  our  ammunition  nearly  gone  —  in  some  cases  all  gone  ; 
General  Paul,  our  brigadier,  was  shot  through  both  eyes,  while  the 
dead  lay  all  about  us.  As  we  glanced  to  our  left  we  saw  one  division 
after  another  breaking  away  and  making  for  Cemetery  Hill ;  we  saw 


228  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  the  end  was  near  and  fell  back  towards  the  hill,  each  man 

for  himself,  it  being  impracticable  to  do  otherwise  with 
out  losing  still  more  men.  The  order  was  given  to  rally  on  Cemetery 
Hill.  While  some  of  the  boys  fell  back  along  the  railroad  cut,  others 
went  directly  through  the  town  to  the  hill.  Those  who  went  through 
the  town  were  obliged  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  the  side  streets,  already 
filled  with  the  men  of  EwelPs  corps,  who  were  endeavoring,  with 
artillery  and  musketry,  to  prevent  our  escaping.  We  saw  at  once 
that  we  had  stayed  at  the  front  a  little  too  long  for  our  safety.  Some 
of  us  were  to  be  gobbled  and  sent  to  rot  in  rebel  prisons.  Over 
fences,  into  yards,  through  gates,  anywhere  an  opening  appeared,  we 
rushed  with  all  our  speed  to  escape  capture.  The  streets  swarmed 
with  the  enemy,  who  kept  up  an  incessant  firing,  and  yelling,  "  Come 
in  here,  you  Yankee  —  —  !  "  Still  we  kept  on,  hoping  to 

find  a  chance  of  escape  somewhere. 

The  great  trouble  was  to  know  where  to  run,  for  every  street 
seemed  to  be  occupied  by  the  "rebs,"  and  we  were  in  imminent 
danger  of  running  into  their  arms  before  we  knew  it.  There  was  no 
time  to  consider ;  we  must  keep  moving  and  take  our  chances ;  so  on 
we  went  until  at  last,  completely  blown,  we  reached  the  hill  now 
occupied  by  the  batteries  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  In  spite  of  our 
efforts,  ninety-eight  of  the  Thirteenth  were  captured.  We  appreciate 
how  easy  it  oftentimes  is  to  be  taken  prisoner,  and  frequently  men 
have  taken  advantage  of  opportunities  thus  afforded  to  escape  fight 
ing  ;  but  whoever  ran  the  gauntlet  of  Gettysburg  can  be  relieved  of 
any  stigma  of  this  kind. 

Here  we  saw  the  division  color-bearer  standing  alone.  Some  of 
the  boys  then  took  the  flag,  and  waving  it  in  turn,  shouting  and 
swinging  their  caps,  soon  succeeded  in  establishing  the  division 
headquarters. 

While  this  was  going  on,  others  of  the  boys  went  actively  to  work 
bringing  rails  or  digging,  until  we  had  a  well-formed  rifle-pit  in 
readiness  to  again  meet  the  enemy's  attack ;  but  we  remained  un 
disturbed  during  the  night.  It  was  now  between  6  and  7  o'clock, 
and  we  had  eaten  nothing  since  early  morning,  so  we  munched  away 
on  our  hardtack.  Worn  out  with  fatigue  and  excitement,  many  of 


THIRTEENTH:  MASS.    VOLS.  229 

1863.  the  boys  dropped  off  to  sleep  at  once,  insensible  to  the 

firing  that  was  going  on  at  our  right,  near  Gulp's  Hill. 
As  the  Eleventh  Corps  had  done  less  work  than  the  First,  it  was  sent 
out  on  the  picket  line.  About  dusk  our  hearts  were  gladdened  by 
the  approach  of  Stannard's  Vermont  brigade  of  five  regiments,  each 
a  thousand  strong.  To  our  delighted  vision  it  seemed  like  a  great 
army,  and  brought  vividly  to  our  minds  the  time  when  we  were  a 
thousand  strong,  now,  alas  !  a  mere  handful  of  men.  As  they  ap 
proached,  Colonel  Dick  Coulter,  of  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  now 
commanding  the  brigade,  remarked  :  "If  those  fellows  will  fight 
as  we  do,  we'll  give  the  Johnnies  hell  to-morrow;"  and  they  did 
fight  well. 

From  now  until  long  after  midnight,  brigade  after  brigade,  corps 
after  corps,  came  marching  in  to  take  its  position  on  Cemetery  Hill. 

In  the  meantime  we  lay  down  to  sleep,  insensible  to  the  tramp 
and  clatter  of  an  approaching  army. 

A  mile  away  to  the  west,  on  Seminary  Ridge,  were  the  wounded  of 
the  First  Corps,  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Of  the  two  hundred  and  eighty-four  men  and  officers  we  took  into 
the  fight,  only  ninety-nine  now  remained  for  duty,  the  casualties  being 
seven  killed  and  eighty  wounded,  a  total  of  eighty-seven.  In 
addition  to  this  number  ninety-eight  men  were  taken  prisoners  on 
their  way  back  through  the  town. 

The  following  letter  of  instructions  was  sent  to  General  Reynolds 
on  the  ist  of  July,  and  was  probably  the  last  he  received  from  Gen 
eral  Meade,  and  is  interesting  to  us  in  settling  definitely  all  the 
theories  as  to  what  his  instructions  were  : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

July  i,  1863. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  REYNOLDS,   Commanding,  etc.,  Gettysburg  : 

GENERAL  :  The  telegraphic  intelligence  received  from  General  Couch,  with  the 
various  movements  reported  from  Buford,  seem  to  indicate  the  concentration  of 
the  enemy  either  at  Chambersburg  or  at  a  point  situated  somewhere  on  a  line 
drawn  between  Chambersburg  and  York,  through  Mummasburg  and  to  the  north 
of  Gettysburg. 

The  commanding  general  cannot  decide  whether  it  is  his  best  policy  to  move  to 
attack  until  he  learns  something  more  definite  of  the  point  at  which  the  enemy  is 


230  THREE    YE  All  S    IX    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  concentrating.     This  he  hopes  to  do  during  the  day.     Meanwhile 

he  would  like  to  have  your  views  on  the  subject,  at  least  as  far  as 
concerns  your  position.  If  the  enemy  is  concentrating  to  the  right  of  Gettysburg, 
that  point  would  not  at  first  glance  seem  to  be  a  proper  strategic  point  of  con 
centration  for  the  enemy. 

If  the  enemy  is  concentrating  in  front  of  Gettysburg  or  to  the  left  of  it,  the 
general  is  not  sufficiently  well-informed  of  the  nature  of  the  country  to  judge  of 
the  character  for  either  an  offensive  or  defensive  position.  The  numbers  of  the 
•enemy  are  estimated  at  92,000  infantry,  with  270  pieces  of  artillery,  and  his  cav 
alry  from  6,000  to  8,000.  Our  numbers  ought  to  equal  it,  and  with  the  arrival  of 
General  French's  command,  which  should  get  up  to-morrow,  exceed  it,  if  not  too 
much  weakened  by  straggling  and  fatigue. 

The  General  having  just  assumed  command,  in  obedience  to  orders,  with  the 
position  of  affairs  leaving  no  time  to  learn  the  condition  of  the  army  as  to  morale 
and  proportionate  strength  compared  with  its  last  return,  would  gladly  receive 
from  you  any  suggestions  as  to  the  points  laid  down  in  this  note.  He  feels  that 
you  know  more  of  the  condition  of  the  troops  in  your  vicinity  and  the  country 
than  he  does.  General  Humphreys,  who  is  at  Emmitsburg  with  the  Third  Corps, 
the  General  considers  an  excellent  adviser  as  to  the  nature  of  the  country  for 
offensive  or  defensive  operations.  If  near  enough  to  call  him  to  consultation 
with  you,  without  interference  with  the  responsibilities  that  devolve  upon  you 
both,  please  do  so.  You  have  all  the  information  that  the  General  has  received, 
and  the  General  would  like  to  have  your  views.  The  movement  of  your  corps  to 
Gettysburg  was  ordered  before  the  positive  knowledge  of  the  enemy's  withdrawal 
from  Harrisburg  and  concentration  was  received. 

Very  respectfully,  etc., 

S.   WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 
(Copy  to  Major-General  Howard.) 

It  is  no  disparagement  to  the  men  of  the  First  Corps  who  gave  up 
their  lives  to-day,  when  we  say  the  bravest  of  all  was  Gen.  John 
F.  Reynolds,  our  commander.  His  loss  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
was  very  great,  and  must  have  been  keenly  felt  by  Meade,  whose  con 
fidence  he  had  more  completely  than  any  other  officer  under  him, 
and  upon  whose  judgment  and  advice  he  would,  very  likely,  have 
relied.  To  the  men  of  his  corps,  whose  admiration  for  him  was  en 
thusiastic  and  devoted,  his  loss  seems  irreparable. 

During  our  service  there  were  two  officers  who  excited  in  us  an 
affectionate  devotion,  —  General  Hartsuff  and  General  Reynolds. 
It  is  difficult  to  describe  the  kind  of  personal  magnetism  which  these 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  li31 

1863.  men,  so  much  alike  in  many  respects,  possessed.     They 

were  both  disciplinarians  of  the  strictest  kind,  making 
no  effort  to  gain  our  good-will  by  clap-trap  or  humbug,  reserved  and 
cold  in  their  manners,  requiring  prompt  and  implicit  obedience,  yet 
each  had  acquired  the  most  perfect  control  over  his  men  —  that  kind 
of  control  which  prompts  men  to  willingly  obey  orders  without  hesi 
tation,  deeming  it  an  honor  to  have  been  called  upon.  No  danger 
or  duty  was  considered  too  great  to  undertake  under  their  leadership. 
To  the  First  Corps,  General  Reynolds  was  the  beau  ideal  of  a  soldier. 
His  great  abilities  and  his  bravery  the  world  has  acknowledged  and 
expressed  its  admiration  therefor,  but  the  love  we  had  for  him  is  be 
yond  expression. 

The  following  tribute  to  General  Reynolds  was  written  by  Count 
de  Paris  and  published  in  his  history  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg, 
and  will  be  read  with  pleasure  by  every  man  who  had  the  honor  to 
serve  in  the  First  Corps  : 

Reynolds  was  undoubtedly  the  most  remarkable  man  among  all  the  officers  that 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  saw  fall  on  the  battlefield  during  the  four  years  of  its 
existence;  and  Meade  could  say  of  him  that  he  was  the  noblest  and  bravest  of 
them  all.  A  graduate  of  West  Point,  he  had  early  distinguished  himself  in  that 
Mexican  army  which  was  destined  to  become  the  nursery  of  the  staff- officers 
both  North  and  South.  His  former  comrades,  who  had  become  either  his 
colleagues  or  his  adversaries,  held  him  in  the  greatest  estimation  on  account  of 
his  military  talents,  for  under  a  cold  exterior  he  concealed  an  ardent  soul;  and  it 
was  not  the  slowness,  but  rather  the  clearness,  of  his  judgment  that  enabled  him 
to  preserve  his  coolness  at  the  most  critical  moments.  The  confidence  he 
inspired,  alike  in  his  inferiors,  his  equals,  and  his  commanders,  would  no  doubt 
soon  have  distinguished  him  for  the  command  of  one  of  the  Union  armies.  It 
would  have  been  a  fortunate  thing  for  the  cause  he  was  serving  with  devotion  and 
earnestness  without  having  ever  sought  to  elicit  appreciation  of  his  merits.  His 
untimely  death  —  he  was  forty-three  years  old  —  was  not  without  some  benefit  to 
that  cause,  for  by  making  a  vigorous  light  in  the  battle,  which  cost  him  his  life,  he 
secured  the  possession  of  Cemetery  Hill  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  against 
which  the  full  tide  of  Southern  invasion  broke.  We  will  cite,  in  conclusion,  as 
the  most  beautiful  homage  paid  to  character,  the  unanimous  regrets  of  the  inhabi 
tants  of  Fredericksburg,  of  which  town  he  had  been  the  military  governor,  who, 
although  passionately  devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  South,  mourned  him  as  if  he 
had  been  one  of  their  own  people. 

On  the  first  day  of  July,  1888,  just  twenty-five  years  after  the 
events  described,  near  the  same  spot  where  General  Reynolds  was 


232  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  killed,  a  group  of  survivors  of  the  First  Corps,  and  others, 

assembled  to  pay  tribute  to  his  memory.  General  James 
A.  Beaver,  then  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  an  officer  in  the 
Second  Corps  in  July,  1863,  was  invited  to  deliver  an  address  of 
welcome.  In  his  remarks  he  paid  the  following  compliment  to  the 
First  Corps,  and  tribute  to  General  Reynolds  : 

Standing  on  this  spot,  in  full  sight  of  the  place  where  Reynolds  fell,  looking 
out  upon  the  battlefield  which  was  occupied  by  the  First  Army  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  just  twenty-live  years  ago  to-day,  the  obvious  thought  which 
comes  to  every  thinking  man  —  the  thought  which  is  in  the  mind  of  many 
unspoken — is  this:  "If  Hooker's  tactics  had  been  as  grand  as  his  strategy, 
there  would  have  been  no  Gettysburg,  and  Reynolds  would  not  have  fallen  here. 
If  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  had  been  fought  as  the  army  was  ready  to  fight 
it,  the  Confederate  forces  would  not  have  crossed  the  Potomac,  and  Pennsylvania's 
soil  would  not  have  drank  the  blood  of  martyred  dead.  These  "  ifs  "  which  come 
to  us  unbidden  are  human;  they  are  finite;  they  come  of  finite  thought;  they 
come  from  finite  minds.  There  are  no  "  ifs  "  in  God's  economy.  The  battle  of 
Chancellorsville  was  not  to  be  won.  The  Potomac  was  to  be  crossed  by  the  forces 
which  came  to  Pennsylvania  on  a  hostile  errand.  The  battle  of  Gettysburg  was 
to  be  fought;  the  First  Corps  was  to  do  the  greatest  fighting  of  that  battle  ; 
Reynolds  was  to  fall  just  where  he  did.  The  First  Corps  was  to  deploy  its  lines; 
its  flanks  were  to  be  enveloped;  it  was  to  be  opposed  by  four  times  its  numbers; 
it  was  to  lose  three-fourths  of  the  forces  engaged,  because  that  was  the  purpose 
and  plan  of  the  Almighty.  And  let  me  say  to  you,  my  friends,  that  when  the 
measure  of  this  generation  has  been  filled,  when  the  men  that  fought  at  Gettys 
burg,  the  men  who  shed  blood  at  Gettysburg,  the  men  who  made  the  battlefield 
of  Gettysburg  historic  and  immortal  —  when  those  men  are  all  dead,  the  hero  of 
this  fight,  the  man  whose  career  and  whose  reputation  and  whose  glory  all  might 
covet,  is  the  man  whose  monument  stands  yonder,  and  who  fell  on  this  battle 
field.  When  the  history  of  this  battlefield  has  been  studied,  when  the  devotion 
which  was  given  to  the  country  on  this  field  has  been  fully  measured,  it  will  be 
found  that  the  first  day's  fight,  particularly  by  the  First  Corps,  was  (and  I  believe 
it  is  conceded  now  by  those  who  have  studied  it)  the  grandest  fight  of  the  war, 
and  led  to  the  most  important  results  of  the  war.  Coming  into  this  field  with 
little  more  than  eight  thousand  men,  met  by  at  least  three  times  that  number,  with 
its  right  flank  and  its  left  flank  both  enveloped  by  the  Confederate  line,  longer  by 
a  half  a  mile  than  it  was,  that  devoted  corps  stood  in  front  of  the  battle  exhaust 
ing  its  ammunition,  firing  its  last  shot,  and  leaving  on  the  field  or  in  the  hands  of 
the  enemy  three-fourths  of  the  entire  number  engaged.  You  look  in  vain  through 
the  history  of  our  war,  of  any  war,  of  all  wars,  for  devotion  like  that  —  for  suc 
cess  like  that;  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  success  of  that  first  day  made 
the  success  of  succeeding  days  possible. 


rn  j/J.s.s.    VOLS.  233 

1863.  By  reason  of  our  hard  work  of  yesterday,  we  were  to- 

Thursday,  (jav  j^gjj  m  reserve.  It  often  happens  that  this  kind  of 
•*u  duty  turns  out  to  be  more  arduous  than  being  stationed 

in  line  of  battle,  inasmuch  as  you  may  be  called  upon  to 
march  to  any  point  that  needs  strengthening,  as  it  happened  with  us 
on  this  particular  day. 

Upon  waking  in  the  morning,  we  found  everything  astir  with  ex 
citement  and  preparation.  Thousands  of  troops  had  gathered  during 
the  night,  presenting  a  formidable  appearance  in  the  gray  morning 
light.  As  we  were  gazing  about,  a  party  of  officers  were  seen  ap 
proaching,  among  whom  was  General  Hancock.  Some  of  the  boys, 
regardless  of  danger,  were  exposing  themselves  on  top  and  at  the  sides 
of  the  earthworks  that  we  built  last  night,  when,  in  a  mild,  pleasant 
voice,  General  Hancock  said,  "  Keep  down,  boys ;  that  is  the  way 

with  you  Massachusetts  boys  —  too  much  d d  curiosity  ;  keep 

down  ! ' 

In  the  afternoon,  as  Sickles'  corps  was  being  pushed  back  at  the 
peach  orchard,  our  division  was  sent  hurriedly  to  his  support.  Be 
fore  we  reached  him  it  had  grown  so  dark  that  the  smoke  and  fire 
from  the  rebel  artillery  looked  like  sheets  of  flame.  While  we  were 
formed  in  line,  marching  brigade  front,  a  shell  exploded  in  the  midst 
of  an  adjoining  regiment,  knocking  over  a  dozen  men.  As  the  rebel 
infantry  were  being  driven  back  at  the  moment  of  our  arrival,  our 
services  became  unnecessary,  and  later  in  the  evening  we  returned 
to  Cemetery  Hill  to  support  Ricketts'  and  Wiedrick's  batteries,  which 
were  being  charged  by  the  Louisiana  Tigers.  We  were  thrown  in 
the  front  of  these  guns,  with  orders  to  hug  the  ground  as  closely  as 
possible  while  the  batteries  fired  over  us.  There  is  no  more  trying 
situation  for  a  soldier  than  to  be  lying  down  in  front  of  a  battery. 
He  is  only  a  few  yards  in  front  of  the  guns,  and  the  concussion  from 
each  discharge  seems  to  travel  up  his  spinal  column  to  the  top  of 
his  head.  The  noise  is  terrible  and  appalling.  The  testimony  of 
men  who  have  undergone  such  an  experience  is,  that  they  endure 
more  mental  suffering  than  when  standing  in  line  of  battle.  You  are 
being  constantly  pelted  with  the  packings,  as  they  become  dislodged 
from  the  shells  when  they  leave  the  muzzle  of  the  gun.  These  pieces 


234  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  are  not  dangerous,  though  they  often  make  an  uncom 

fortable  contusion,  the  size  of  a  walnut,  if  they  hit  you. 
If  a  piece  strikes  you  on  the  head  you  will  think,  as  the  boy  did,  that 
"  you  might  as  well  be  killed  as  scared  to  death." 

All  the  afternoon  we  listened  to  the  sound  of  battle  at  our  right  on 
Gulp's  Hill,  dreading  defeat  and  another  retreat.  It  made  us  sick 
at  heart  to  think  of  what  might  occur  in  such  an  event,  and  glad  we 
were  when  night  came  and  put  a  temporary  stop  to  the  fighting. 
Evidently  we  had  not  held  our  own  at  this  point. 

So  far  as  exposure  to  danger  is  concerned,  our  division  may  be 
said  to  have  had  very  good  luck.  There  was  hard  fighting,  at  differ 
ent  points,  all  day,  and  even  into  the  night,  without  apparently  any 
advantage  having  been  gained  by  the  Union  army.  During  our  ab 
sence  to  the  left  of  the  line,  where  we  were  sent  to  help  the  Third 
Corps,  there  was  hard  fighting  at  Cemetery  Hill,  and  by  the  time  we 
got  back  the  fighting  was  practically  over  at  that  point ;  so  we  es 
caped  loss  in  both  instances.  At  the  council  of  corps  commanders 
held  on  this  day  the  following  questions  were  asked  : 

1.  Under  existing  circumstances,  is  it  advisable  for  this  army  to  remain  in  its 
present  position  or  to  retire  to  another  nearer  its  base  of  supplies? 

2.  It  being  determined  to  remain  in  present  position,  shall  the  army  attack  or 
wait  the  attack  of  the  enemy? 

3.  If  an  attack,  how  long  ? 

REPLIES. 

GlBKON  : 

1.  Correct  position  of  the  army,  but  would  not  retreat. 

2.  In  no  condition  to  attack,  in  his  opinion. 
WILLIAMS  : 

1.  Stay. 

2.  Wait  attack. 

3.  One  day. 
BRINEY  : 

Same  as  General  Williams. 
SYKES  : 

Same  as  General  Williams. 
NEWTON  : 

1.  Correct  position  of  army,  but  would  not  retreat. 

2.  By  all  means  not  attack. 

3.  If  we  attack,  it  will  give  them  a  chance  to  cut  our  line. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  235 

HOWARD: 

1.  Remain. 

2.  Wait  attack  until  4  P.M.  to-morrow. 

3.  If  don't  attack,  attack  them. 
HANCOCK  : 

1.  Rectify  position  without  moving  so  as  to  give  up  Held. 

2.  Not  attack  unless  our  communications  are  cut. 

3.  Can't  wait  long;  can't  be  idle. 
SEDGWICK  : 

I.  Remain  and  wait  attack  at  least  one  day 
SLOCUM  : 

I.  Stay  and  tight  it  out. 

1863.  At  daylight  we  found  ourselves  in  front  of  the  batteries 

Friday,  on  Cemetery  Hill  facing  the  town ;  an  uncomfortable 
•*uy3'  position  on  account  of  the  sharpshooters  who  were 

posted  in  houses  fronting  the  hill,  and,  like  the  man  at 
the  Donnybrook  Fair,  wherever  they  saw  a  head,  were  there  to  hit  it. 

Soon  after  daylight  we  received  what,  for  the  moment,  seemed  a 
very  singular  order.  At  a  given  signal  we  were  to  rush  from  our 
position  in  front  to  the  rear  of  the  batteries  with  as  much  confusion 
and  zigzagging  as  possible,  the  purpose  being  to  confuse  the  enemy 
and  to  prevent  the  men  becoming  a  mark  for  the  sharpshooters. 
The  movement  was  made  so  suddenly  that  it  was  all  over  before  the 
enemy  had  time  to  recover  from  their  surprise.  It  was  always  grati 
fying  to  the  rank  and  file  to  see  a  ray  of  intelligence  exhibited, 
even  in  a  general  officer. 

We  were  now  held  in  reserve,  in  readiness  to  be  sent  at  once  to 
any  part  of  the  lines  that  might  need  strengthening.  As  a  lull  had 
occurred  in  the  fighting,  a  good  many  of  the  boys  occupied  the 
time  in  sleep,  while  some  visited  officers,  and  friends  in  other 
regiments,  swapping  gossip,  etc. 

About  i  o'clock  the  silence  was  suddenly  broken  by  the  discharge 
of  signal-guns  by  the  enemy.  Immediately  following  this  was  the 
continuous  discharge  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  pieces  of  ar 
tillery,  answered  by  eighty  pieces  of  our  own,  making  a  roar  such  as 
the  world  has  rarely  heard. 

The  air  was  full  of  projectiles,  while  bursting  shells  were  carrying 


236  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  havoc  among  supply-trains,  ambulances,  and  reserve  bat 

teries,  the  men  in  the  meanwhile  hurrying  for   shelter 
behind  the  slightest  elevation  of  ground.     It  seemed  to  rain  shells. 

During  this  excitement  our  division,  under  General  Robinson,  was 
removed  from  its  exposed  position  to  the  north-east  side  of  Cemetery 
Hill,  where  it  was  placed  in  support  of  some  batteries  at  that  point. 
It  seemed  like  jumping  out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the  fire,  so  far  as 
danger  was  concerned,  as  we  were  now  facing  the  sharpshooters  and 
pickets  on  that  side,  who  were  swarming  behind  fences  and  stone 
walls,  making  it  lively  for  the  gunners  in  our  rear.  We  sheltered 
ourselves  as  well  as  we  could  by  hugging  the  ground  or  taking  ad 
vantage  of  any  object  that  would  stop  or  ward  off  a  bullet.  It  was  a 
hard  place,  inasmuch  as  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  do  any  firing,  sit 
uated  as  we  were.  While  we  were  lying  here  our  artillery  all  along 
the  line  suddenly  stopped  firing,  exciting  in  us  grave  apprehensions 
of  failure  and  retreat.  In  fifteen  minutes  or  more  they  began  again, 
and  shortly  we  were  ordered  to  hasten  to  the  support  of  the 
Second  Corps,  now  engaged  in  repulsing  Pickett's  charge.  We  ran 
along  the  crest  of  the  hill  amid  a  continued  shower  of  rebel  shell, 
while  the  noise  was  increased  by  musketry-firing  and  the  shouting 
and  yelling  of  troops  on  both  sides.  Our  speed  was  retarded  by  the 
broken  caissons,  gun-carriages,  and  other  debris,  and  also  the  bodies 
of  men  and  horses  lying  dead  or  wounded,  many  of  the  latter  crawl 
ing  or  limping  to  hospitals  in  the  rear. 

During  the  movement,  an  incident  happened  to  show  the  hard 
luck  that  followed  a  gallant  regiment.  The  Sixteenth  Maine,  during 
the  first  day's  fight,  was  assigned  the  very  difficult  duty  of  holding  on 
and  delaying,  if  possible,  the  advance  of  the  enemy  until  the  rest  of 
the  division  could  get  to  the  rear ;  and  it  did  its  work  bravely  and 
with  great  credit  to  itself,  its  colonel  and  most  of  the  men  being 
taken  prisoners  in  the  endeavor.  The  remnant  of  about  twenty  men 
that  escaped  were  just  ahead  of  us  as  we  double-quicked  along  the 
ridge.  Suddenly  a  Whitworth  shell  from  one  of  the  enemy's  bat 
teries  exploded  in  their  midst,  and  it  seemed  to  us,  as  we  hurried  on 
over  their  mangled  bodies,  that  every  man  must  have  been  killed. 
Our  entire  division  at  this  time,  consisting  of  eleven  regiments,  num- 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  287 

1863.  bered  only  about  nine  hundred  men,  and  \ve  felt  sorry 

enough  to  see  the  remnant  of  this  excellent  regiment  so 
completely  wiped  out. 

While  these  sights  were  such  as  are  commonly  observed  on  all 
battlefields,  they  seemed  more  hideous  than  any  seen  before,  even 
to  those  familiar  with  such  scenes. 

The  tide  of  battle  had  turned  just  as  we  arrived,  and  the  remnant 
of  Pickett's  corps  could  be  seen  hurrying  back  to  their  lines,  while 
men  were  bringing  in  squads  of  prisoners,  some  willing  and  others 
unwilling  to  be  captured. 

Thousands  of  Union  men  and  officers,  many  of  whom  were  be 
grimed  with  powder  or  stained  with  blood,  were  shouting  themselves 
hoarse  at  their  success.  Riding  up  and  down  the  line  coatless, 
waving  his  hat  and  shouting  like  the  rest  of  us,  was  General  Hays, 
dragging  in  the  dust  a  lot  of  rebel  banners  whose  staffs  he  held  with 
the  other  hand.  The  rebel  artillery-firing  continued  ;  but  no  one 
thought  of  exploding  shells  at  a  moment  like  this.  The  army  was 
boiling  over  with  enthusiasm.  It  seemed  as  though  the  pent-up 
feelings  of  two  long  years  had  been  suddenly  released,  so  boisterous 
were  its  demonstrations.  Everywhere  in  that  much-abused  army 
was  expressed  the  wish  to  be  led  forth  to  finish  up  the  bloody 
business. 

When  the  rebel  army  left  its  position  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Rappahannock  River  to  march  northward,  its  courage  was  tempered 
with  the  prestige  of  victory.  Its  feelings  were  buoyant  with  recent 
success  and  with  anticipations  of  triumphant  progress  north  of  the 
Potomac.  Manassas,  Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  and  Chancellors- 
ville  had  contributed  to  make  the  Confederate  army  feel  invincible. 
Such  a  series  of  victories  would  have  excited  the  pride  and  con 
fidence  of  any  army.  Our  generalship  appeared  so  inferior  to  theirs, 
they  imagined  nothing  could  stop  their  onward  progress.  Everyone 
knows  how  disheartening  it  is  to  endure  continuous  defeat,  and  what 
a  weary  grind  it  is  to  labor  in  vain. 

All  the  rhetorical  flourishes  of  what  we  were  going  to  do  when  we 
crossed  the  river  to  Chancellorsville  were  discussed  from  day  to  day, 
as  we  tramped  along  after  Lee.  Weariness,  disappointment,  and  dis- 


238  THREE    YEAHS    IN     THE    ARMY. 

1863.  gust  had  possession  of  the  rank  and  file  of  our  army, 

while  our  opponents  were  filled  with  enthusiasm  for  their 
leaders  and  at  the  prospects  of  success.  The  first  and  second  day 
at  Gettysburg  had  failed  to  lessen  their  confidence.  When  Pickett's 
corps  charged  upon  our  line,  the  men  must  have  felt  that  a  grand 
success  awaited  them,  as,  indeed,  any  body  of  men  might  have  felt 
under  similar  circumstances.  The  reaction  that  follows  an  unex 
pected  defeat  is  pretty  sure  to  produce  a  panic,  if  taken  advantage 
of  by  a  victorious  army.  To  our  minds  this  seemed  one  of  those 
moments  when  a  Sheridan  or  a  Stonewall  Jackson  might  have  anni 
hilated  Lee's  army.  Everything  appeared  to  be  in  our  favor.  The 
Potomac  swollen  by  the  recent  rains,  the  enemy  away  from  their 
own  territory,  with  a  supply-train  fifteen  miles  in  length  encumbered 
with  ambulances,  and  thousands  of  prisoners  unable  to  move  at  a 
high  rate  of  speed,  —  all  presented  an  opportunity  such  as  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  never  had  before  nor  after.  "  Press  on  ! "  was  Na 
poleon's  maxim.  It  was  not  so  with  us.  There  must  be  more 
slaughter,  as  if  the  gods  were  not  already  appeased. 

During  the  month  of  May,  1893,  thirty  years  after  the  event  just 
described,  a  party  of  military  men  visited  the  scene  of  this  famous 
charge.  Among  the  number  were  Generals  Howard  and  Sickles,  of 
the  Union  army,  and  Generals  Longstreet  and  Alexander,  of  the  Con 
federate  army.  General  Alexander  was  Longstreet's  chief  of  staff. 
An  account  of  this  visit  was  published  in  the  "  New  York  Evening 
Post,"  from  which  the  following  interesting  extract  is  taken  : 

It  is  known  that  Longstreet  was  opposed  to  the  Pickett  charge,  believing  that 
it  was  a  task  beyond  human  endurance.  It  is  known  that  he  was  opposed  to 
fighting  at  Gettysburg  at  all.  He  told  us  to-day  that  he  said  to  Lee,  after  Howard 
had  taken  his  position  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  that  these  Gettysburg  hills  were  of  no 
more  value  to  the  Confederate  army  than  any  other  ground  in  Pennsylvania  or 
Maryland,  and  that  a  movement  to  the  right  would  compel  the  Union  forces  to 
abandon  their  ground  and  occupy  less  favorable  positions.  Thereupon  General 
Howard  remarked  that  a  movement  to  the  right  would  have  exposed  Lee's  com 
munications,  and  that  if  Grant  had  been  in  command  of  the  Union  army,  it  would 
have  been  an  act  of  suicide.  "  Yes,  and  if  Grant  had  been  in  command,  what  we 
actually  did  would  have  been  suicide,"  remarked  one  of  the  Confederate  officers. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  ground  where  Pickett's  division  was  formed  for  the 
fatal  charge  which  ended  in  its  virtual  annihilation,  I  asked  General  Longstreet 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  239 

1863.  if    there   was   anything  to    prevent  a  counter   attack  by  General 

Meacle  after  the  remnant  of  Pickett's  men  were  driven  back.  "  You 
can  answer  that  question,  Alexander,"  replied  Longstreet.  General  Alexander 
then  took  up  the  discourse.  "  We  saw  that  the  situation  was  desperate,"  he  said. 
"  I  ordered  up  to  that  ridge  (pointing  to  a  slight  elevation  a  few  rods  from  us, 
and  rather  more  than  a  mile  distant  from  Cemetery  Hill)  every  gun  that  had  as 
much  as  twenty  rounds  of  ammunition  left.  Our  batteries,  taken  together,  had 
an  average  of  only  fifteen  rounds  each.  There  was  nothing  for  us  to  do  but  to 
lire  the  last  shot  from  these  guns.  Everything  was  open  from  there  to  there 
(pointing  to  a  space  along  the  Confederate  line  half  a  mile  in  width).  All  that 
we  had  left  was  that  fringe  of  guns  with  twenty  rounds  of  ammunition,". 

When  General  Alexander  had  said  this,  General  Longstreet  nodded  and  re 
peated  the  words  of  his  artillery  chief:  "There  was  nothing  from  there  to  there 
except  that  fringe  of  cannon  —  no  infantry  at  all."  He  then  told  an  anecdote 
which  an  English  officer  (Captain  Fremantle)  who  was  with  him  at  Gettysburg 
has  narrated  in  a  book.  Fremantle  says  that  he  watched  Pickett's  men  until 
the  head  of  the  column  reached  the  Union  line  and  began  to  clamber 
over  the  stone  wall.  Longstreet  had  watched  it  also,  but  with  a  more  practised 
eye.  He  had  seen  the  effect  of  the  withering  lire,  and  he  knew  that  the  leaping 
of  the  stone  wall  was  but  the  last  gasp  of  that  stricken  band.  Fremantle  ran  up 
to  him  and  exclaimed,  "  General,  that  is  magnificent !  I  wouldn't  have  missed  it  for 
the  world."  —  "The  hell  you  wouldn't,"  replied  Longstreet.  Secretary  Stanton 
once  directed  Longstreet's  attention  to  Fremantle's  narrative  and  asked  him 
whether  it  was  true.  He  replied  that  probably  there  was  nothing  in  his  whole 
life  that  he  could  have  spared  more  easily  than  the  magnificence  of  that  charge. 

We  recognize  that  all  this  is  a  debatable  question,  particularly  in 
the  light  of  subsequent  information,  but  we  believe  that  what  we 
have  written  is  a  correct  statement  of  the  prevailing  feeling,  as  it  ex 
isted  among  the  rank  and  file  of  the  army  at  a  supreme  moment  of 
this  battle  when  the  reasoning  of  men  unacquainted  with  the  hard 
logic  of  facts  is,  of  course,  likely  to  be  defective.  Until  this  moment 
we  had  had  nothing  but  discouraging  work,  hardly  holding  the  enemy 
even,  but  now  we  had  reached  the  long-toiled- for  opportunity,  and 
victory  seemed  within  our  grasp  —  we  had  only  to  reach  for  it  and  it 
was  ours ;  but  as  usual  with  our  poor  old  army,  we  waited  until  the 
enemy  recovered  from  the  unexpected  shock,  and  then  it  was  too  late. 
Subsequently  we  learned  what  "  old  Abe,"  who  saw  deeper  into  the 
instincts  of  human  nature  than  any  man  of  his  time,  said  to  Meade ; 
and  as  usual  when  he  wrote  anything  concerning  the  army  he  echoed 
its  thoughts  and  feelings  with  great  clearness  :  "  The  fruit  seemed  so 


240  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  ripe,  so  ready  for  plucking,  that  it  seemed  a  pity  to  lose 

it."  In  an  hour  the  kaleidoscope  of  battle  had  changed, 
new  combinations  were  made,  and  a  great  opportunity  lost,  we 
thought. 

The  following  extract  from  Doubleday's  account  of  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  is  interesting,  because  it  is  so  in  harmony  with  the  feeling 
which  we  have  attempted  to  describe  as  prevailing  in  the  army  : 

When  Pickett's  charge  was  repulsed,  and  the  whole  plain  covered  with 
fugitives,  we  all  expected  that  Wellington's  command  at  Waterloo  of  "  Up,  Guards, 
and  at  them !  "  would  be  repeated,  and  that  a  grand  counter-charge  would  be 
made.  But  General  Meade  had  made  no  arrangements  for  a  return  thrust.  It 
seems  to  me  that  he  should  have  posted  the  Sixth  and  part  of  the  Twelfth  Corps 
in  the  rear  of  Gibbon's  division  the  moment  Pickett's  infantry  were  seen  emerg 
ing  from  the  woods,  a  mile  and  a  half  off.  If  they  broke  through  our  centre 
these  corps  would  have  been  there  to  receive  them,  and  if  they  failed  to  pierce 
our  line  and  retreated,  the  two  corps  could  have  followed  them  promptly  before 
they  had  time  to  rally  and  reorganize.  An  advance  by  Sykes  would  have  kept 
Longstreet  in  position.  In  all  probability  we  would  have  cut  the  enemy's  army  in 
two,  and  captured  the  long  line  of  batteries  opposite  us,  which  were  but  slightly 
guarded.  Hancock,  lying  wounded  in  an  ambulance,  wrote  to  Meade,  recom 
mending  that  this  be  done.  Meade,  it  is  true,  recognized,  in  some  sort,  the  good 
effects  of  a  counter-blow;  but  to  be  effective  the  movement  should  have  been 
prepared  beforehand.  It  was  too  late  to  commence  making  preparation  for  an 
advance  when  some  time  had  elapsed  and  when  Lee  had  rallied  his  troops  and 
had  made  all  his  arrangements  to  resist  an  assault.  It  was  ascertained  afterwards 
that  he  had  twenty  rounds  of  ammunition  left  per  gun,  but  it  was  not  evenly  dis 
tributed,  and  some  batteries  in  front  had  fired  away  all  their  cartridges.  A  coun 
ter-charge  under  such  circumstances  is  considered  almost  imperative  in  war,  for 
the  beaten  army,  running  and  dismayed,  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  things,  resist 
with  much  spirit,  whereas  the  pursuers,  highly  elated  by  their  success,  and  with 
the  prospect  of  ending  the  contest,  fight  with  more  energy  and  bravery.  Rodes 
says  the  Union  forces  were  so  long  in  occupying  the  town  and  in  coming  forward 
after  the  repulse  of  the  enemy,  that  it  was  generally  thought  that  they  had  re 
treated.  Meade  rode  leisurely  over  to  the  Fifth  Corps  on  the  left  and  told  Sykes 
to  send  out  and  see  if  the  enemy  in  his  front  was  firm  and  holding  on  to  his  po 
sition.  A  brigade,  preceded  by  skirmishers,  was  accordingly  sent  forward,  but  as 
Longstreet's  troops  were  well  fortified,  they  resisted  the  advance,  and  Meade, 
finding  some  hours  had  elapsed  and  that  Lee  had  closed  up  his  lines  and  was 
fortifying  against  him,  gave  up  all  idea  of  a  counter  attack. 

About  sunset  a  detail  of  fifty  men  from  the  Thirteenth  were  sent 
out  in  front  to  establish  a  skirmish  line  in  connection  with  the  troops 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  241 

1863.  on  the  right  and  left,  at  a  point  just  beyond  the  Emmits- 

burg  pike,  about  midway  of  the  plain  between  the  armies, 
on  the  ground  over  which  Pickett  made  his  charge. 

The  following  graphic  account  of  what  was  seen  by  this  detail  is 
related  by  Lieut.  Edward  F.  Rollins,  of  our  regiment : 

I,  with  other  officers,  was  detailed  to  take  fifty  men  of  my  regiment  and  estab 
lish  a  skirmish  line  in  connection  with  other  troops  on  our  right  and  left,  at  a  rail 
fence  beyond  the  Emmitsburg  pike,  and  about  midway  of  the  plain,  over  which 
Pickett's  charge  had  taken  place.  As  this  line  made  its  way  to  its  destination 
through  the  trampled  and  unmown  grass,  we  often  stumbled  over  dead  bodies, 
and  were  exhorted  by  the  wounded  who  had  life  enough  to  speak,  "  For  God's 
sake  don't  step  on  us !  "  or  to  give  them  a  drink  of  water,  or  to  turn  them  over,  or 
other  like  entreaties.  Though  strict  orders  had  been  given  to  pay  no  attention  to 
the  wounded,  with  an  explanation  that  the  stretcher-bearers  would  follow  the 
skirmish  line,  still  flesh  and  blood  could  not  refuse  these  offices,  even  to  our  late 
enemies.  The  thought  came  to  me  of  my  own  comrades,  wounded  two  days  be 
fore  on  Seminary  Ridge,  who  must  have  asked  the  same  favors  of  them.  I  also 
had  a  feeling  of  admiration  for  these  brave  men  who  had  composed  that  charging 
party  of  17,000  men  marching  closed  en  masse,  and  who  closed  up  the  gaps  as  our 
solid  shot  and  shell  ploughed  through  their  ranks,  and  who  still  came  on  so 
magnificently  that  they  almost  deserved  success,  even  in  a  bad  cause.  Arriving 
at  the  rail  fence,  we  saw  beyond  a  pile  of  dead  and  wounded,  struck  as  they  ex 
posed  themselves  clambering  over,  while  on  the  charge.  A  scattering  fire  had 
annoyed  us  as  we  advanced,  but  no  determined  effort  was  made  to  stop  us. 

From  the  rebel  line  beyond,  in  the  darkness,  we  could  hear  the  sound  of  chop 
ping  and  driving  stakes  in  the  ground;  and  this  was  intermingled  with  groans  and 
shrieks  of  the  wounded  and  dying,  all  around  us.  Indeed,  neither  time  nor  incli 
nation  will  allow  me  to  describe  the  horrors  of  that  night.  At  1 1  o'clock  a  detail 
of  surgeons  and  assistants  from  our  line  came  out,  giving  the  wounded,  so  far  as  I 
could  learn,  not  much  but  morphine.  One  wounded  man  would  pass  the  word 
along  to  another,  who  begged  for  it  to  drown  his  sufferings.  I  arranged  with  an 
officer  of  the  Ninety-fourth  New  York  to  call  him  when  it  was  time  for  his  relief  to 
go  on,  and  he  showed  me  where  he  was  going  to  lie  down  with  one  of  his  men  on 
the  same  "relief,"  he  wishing  to  get  a  little  sleep.  When  the  time  came  for  me 
to  call  him  I  groped  around  and  found  him.  On  awakening  he  began  to  shake 
his  blanket  companion  and  told  him  to  get  up,  it  was  time  for  their  "relief"  to  go 
on  duty.  He  could  not  start  him,  and  greatly  surprised  were  both  of  us  when  we 
discovered  that  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  the  darkness,  and  had  been  sharing  his 
blanket  and  sleeping  beside  the  body  of  a  dead  rebel.  This  whole  night  a 
wounded  and  probably  insane  rebel,  in  the  rear  of  the  skirmish  line,  walked  back 
and  forth  like  a  sentinel,  singing  religious  hymns,  in  a  clear,  calm  voice,  and  paid 
no  attention  to  requests  to  keep  quiet.  We  rejoined  the  regiment  at  daylight. 


242  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1853.  While  the  whole  North  was  probably  celebrating  with 

Saturday,  unrestrained  joy  the  victories  of  Gettysburg  and  Vicks- 
burg,  two  of  the  boys  had  crawled  out  of  their  blankets 
and  were  now  engaged  in  making  coffee.  The  morning 
was 'cloudy.  It  was  so  early  the  troops  were  hardly  astir.  The  boys 
were  too  busy  with  their  labor  to  be  wasting  time  in  idle  words,  nor 
were  they  in  the  mood  for  much  talk.  The  fatigue  and  excitement  of 
the  last  three  days  had  reacted,  and  they  proceeded,  in  their  melan 
choly  way,  to  brew  their  stimulating  beverage.  Presently  one  said 
to  the  other,  "  Bill,  there  was  a  fight  yesterday,  wasn't  there  ?  " 

"  I  believe  there  was,  Jim." 

"Who  licked?" 

"Damned  if  I  know;  I  thought  we  did,  by  the  hollering." 

"Then  let's  call  it  a  victory." 

"  I  say,  Jim,  war  doesn't  seem  such  a  hell  of  a  picnic  as  we  hoped 
it  would  be  when  we  paid  $12.50  for  the  privilege  of  enlisting, 
does  it?" 

"  I  don't  give  a  damn  for  the  picnic,  but  what  makes  me  sick  is 
that  every  time  we  have  a  chance  to  finish  up  the  business,  we  stop 
and  give  the  '  rebs '  a  chance  to  recover." 

"  I  wonder  if  the  positions  we  left,  on  enlisting,  will  be  open  to 
us  as  promised,  when  we  get  back?  " 

"  If  we  carry  on  the  war  much  longer  as  we  do  now,  there'll  be  no 
'  get  back.'  " 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?  " 

"Do?     Nothing.     What  can  we  do ?  " 

At  this  moment  a  third  man  approached  the  fire. 

"What  are  you  fellows  growling  about?  " 

"  Jim,  here,  says  we  had  a  victory  yesterday." 

"  No,  I  didn't.     I  said,  let's  call  it  a  victory." 

"You  are  right,  Jim,"  said  the  new-comer.  "We'll  call  it  one, 
though  it  draws  hard  on  the  imagination." 

This  conversation  reflects  pretty  well  the  feeling  that  prevailed 
among  the  soldiers  the  morning  of  the  fourth. 

As  we  reflected  on  the  last  three  days'  terrible  work,  we  could  not 
escape  the  impression  that  it  was  a  repetition  of  Antietam,  for  in  both 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  243 

1863.  cases  the  enemy  was  granted  "  leave  to  withdraw  "  at  a 

time  when  it  could  have  had  little  expectation  of  the 
exercise  of  so  benignant  a  privilege. 

By  noon  it  began  to  rain  in  torrents,  making  the  roads  so  muddy 
that  it  was  impossible  to  manoeuvre  artillery  with  any  advantage, 
furnishing  a  good  reason  to  Meade  for  thanking  Providence  for 
granting  us  a  great  victory.  It  was  now  plain  enough  to  all  that 
the  fighting  was  over,  and  if  Lee  would  only  get  back  into  Virginia 
we  might  make  the  claim,  without  fear  of  dispute.  At  present, 
however,  the  enemy  showed  a  strong  front,  having  apparently  re 
covered  from  the  paralyzing  shock  of  yesterday,  thanks  to  our  cus 
tomary  irresolution. 

We  lay  all  day  in  a  piece  of  woods  to  the  south  of  the  cemetery, 
wondering  what  would  be  the  next  move  on  the  checker-board  of 
fate.  Desultory  firing  was  kept  up  by  the  enemy,  whose  sharp 
shooters  occasionally  hit  a  man.  On  one  of  these  occasions,  when 
an  officer  of  our  regiment  was  in  the  act  of  raising  his  dipper  filled 
with  coffee,  a  bullet  passed  completely  through  it.  "  A  close  shot," 
said  the  officer,  and  proceeded  to  drink  the  remainder  of  the  coffee. 
Another  one  of  our  boys  was  shot  in  the  thigh  ;  so  the  day  didn't 
pass  without  some  excitement  and  the  customary  Fourth  of  July 

accident. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

July  4,  1863,  6.35  A.M. 
(Received,  8.25  A.M.) 
MAJ.-GEX.  GEORGE  [G.]  MEADE,  Commanding  U.  S.  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

GENERAL  :  In  order  to  promote  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the  officers  and 
men  captured  by  the  opposing  armies  in  the  recent  engagements,  I  respectfully 
propose  that  an  exchange  he  made  at  once. 

Should  this  proposition  be  acceptable,  please  indicate   the  hour  and  point  be 
tween  the  lines  of  the  armies  where  such  an  exchange  can  be  made. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OK  THE  POTOMAC, 

July  3  [4],  1863,8.25  A.M. 
GEN.   R.  E.  LEE,  Commanding  Army  of  Northern   Virginia: 

I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  communication  of  this  date, 
proposing  to  make  an  exchange  at  once  of  the  captured  officers  and  men  in  my 


244  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  possession,  and  have  to  say,  most  respectfully,  that  it  is  not  in  my 

power  to  accede  to  the  proposed  arrangement. 
Very  respectfully,  etc., 

GEO.  G.  MEADE, 
Major-  General  Commanding. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

July  4,  1863,  7  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HALLECK  : 

This  morning  the  enemy  has  withdrawn  his  pickets  from  the  positions  of  yes 
terday.  My  own  pickets  are  moving  out  to  ascertain  the  nature  and  extent  of  the 
enemy's  movements.  My  information  is  not  sufficient  for  me  to  decide  its  char 
acter  yet — whether  a  retreat  or  manoeuvre  for  other  purposes. 

GEORGE   G.   MEADE, 

Major-  General. 

General  Robinson,  our  division  commander,  makes  the  following 
report  of  the  doings  of  his  division  during  the  battle  : 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION,  FIRST  A.  C., 

July  1 8,  1863. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  operations  of  this 
division  in  the  engagements  of  the  ist,  2d,  and  3d  instant: 

On  the  morning  of  Wednesday  the  1st,  the  division  marched  from  Emmitsburg, 
bringing  up  the  rear  of  the  column,  and  when  about  three  miles  from  Gettysburg, 
hearing  tiring  in  front,  it  was  pushed  rapidly  forward,  and,  arriving  on  the  field, 
was  placed,  by  order  of  the  major-general  commanding  First  Corps,  in  reserve, 
near  the  Seminary.  Almost  immediately  after  taking  this  position,  I  received  no 
tice  that  the  enemy  was  advancing  a  heavy  column  of  infantry  on  the  right  of  our 
line  of  battle,  when  I  sent  the  Second  Brigade,  under  Brigadier-General  Baxter,  to 
meet  it.  Orders  being  received  at  this  time  to  hold  the  Seminary,  the  First  Bri 
gade,  under  Brigadier-General  Paul,  was  set  at  work  to  intrench  the  ridge  on  which 
it  was  situated.  I  then  rode  to  the  right  of  the  line  to  superintend  the  operations 
there.  On  my  arrival,  I  found  the  Second  Brigade  so  placed  as  to  cover  our 
right  flank,  but  with  too  great  an  interval  between  it  and  the  line  of  the  first  divis 
ion.  I  at  once  directed  General  Baxter  to  change  front  forward  on  his  left  bat 
talion,  and  to  close  this  interval,  toward  which  the  enemy  was  making  his  way.  By 
the  time  this  change  was  effected,  the  whole  front  of  the  brigade  became  hotly  en 
gaged,  but  succeeded  in  repulsing  the  attack.  The  enemy,  however,  soon  after 
brought  up  fresh  forces,  in  increased  masses,  when,  finding  the  position  so  seriously 
threatened,  I  sent  for  and  brought  up  the  First  Brigade  [in  which  was  the  Thir 
teenth],  and  placed  part  of  it  in  the  position  first  occupied  by  Baxter's  brigade,  and 
the  remaining  battalions  as  a  support  to  his  second  position.  The  enemy  now 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  245 

1863.  made  repeated  attacks  on  the  division,  in  all  of  which  he  was  hand 

somely  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  three  flags  and  about  one 
thousand  prisoners. 

In  one  of  these  attacks  I  was  deprived  of  the  veteran  commander  of  the  First 
Brigade,  Brigadier-General  Paul,  who  fell  severely  wounded,  while  gallantly  di 
recting  and  encouraging  his  command. 

The  division  held  its  position  on  the  right  —  receiving  and  repelling  the  fierce 
attacks  of  a  greatly  superior  number,  not  only  in  front,  but  on  the  flank,  and  when 
the  enemy's  ranks  were  broken,  charging  upon  him  and  capturing  his  colors  and 
men  —  from  about  noon  until  nearly  5  P.M.,  when  I  received  orders  to  withdraw. 
These  orders  not  being  received  until  all  other  troops  (except  Stewart's  Battery) 
had  commenced  moving  to  the  rear,  the  division  held  its  ground,  until  outflanked 
right  and  left,  and  retired  fighting. 

From  the  nature  of  the  enemy's  attacks,  frequent  changes  were  rendered  neces 
sary,  and  they  were  made  under  a  galling  fire.  No  soldiers  ever  fought  better, 
or  inflicted  severer  blows  upon  the  enemy.  When  out  of  ammunition,  their  boxes 
were  replenished  from  those  of  their  dead  and  wounded  comrades. 

The  instances  of  distinguished  gallantry  are  too  numerous  to  be  embodied  in 
this  report,  and  I  leave  it  to  the  brigade  and  regimental  commanders  to  do  justice 
to  those  under  their  immediate  command.  Where  all  did  so  well  it  is  difficult  to 
discriminate. 

After  withdrawing  from  this  contest  I  took  up  a  position  on  a  ridge  to  the  left 
of  the  cemetery,  facing  the  Emmitsburg  road,  and  remained  there  until  afternoon 
of  the  next  day,  when  I  was  relieved  by  a  division  of  the  Second  Corps,  and  or 
dered  to  the  support  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  In  the  evening  I  was  ordered  to 
the  left  of  our  line,  but  was  soon  after  directed  to  return. 

On  Friday  morning,  the  3d  inst.,  the  division  was  massed  and  held  ready  to 
push  forward  to  the  support  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  then  engaged  with  the  enemy 
on  our  right. 

About  noon  I  was  informed  by  the  major-general  commanding  the  army  that 
he  anticipated  an  attack  on  the  cemetery  by  the  enemy's  forces  massed  in  the 
town,  and  was  directed  to  so  plan  my  command  that  if  our  line  gave  way  I  could 
attack  the  enemy  on  his  flank.  I  proceeded  to  make  this  change  of  position 
at  the  moment  the  enemy  commenced  the  terrific  artillery  fire  of  that  day. 
Never  before  were  troops  so  exposed  to  such  a  fire  of  shot  and  shell,  and 
yet  the  movement  was  made  in  perfect  order  and  with  little  loss. 

Later  in  the  day,  the  enemy  having  made  his  attack  on  our  left  instead  of  the 
centre,  I  was  ordered  to  the  right  of  the  Second  Corps,  which  position  I  held 
until  Sunday,  when  the  line  was  withdrawn. 

This  division  went  into  battle  with  less  than  2,500  officers  and  men,  and  sus 
tained  a  loss  of  1,667,  of  which  124  were  commissioned  officers. 

JOHN  C.  ROBINSON, 
Bri$.-Gen.  Commanding  Division. 


246  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  The  following  communication  explains  itself: 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION,  FIRST  A.  C., 

November  15,  1863. 
MAJ.-GEN.  GEORGE  G.  MEADE,  Commanding  Army  oj  the  Potomac: 

GENERAL:  I  feel  it  is  my  duty  to  inform  you  of  the  intense  mortification  and 
disappointment  felt  by  my  division  in  reading  your  report  of  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg. 

For  nearly  four  hours  on  July  1st  we  were  hotly  engaged  against  overwhelming 
numbers,  repulsed  repeated  attacks  of  the  enemy,  captured  their  flags  and  a  very 
large  number  of  prisoners,  and  were  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 

The  division  formed  the  right  of  the  line  of  battle  of  the  First  Corps,  and  dur 
ing  the  whole  time  had  to  fight  the  enemy  in  front  and  protect  our  right  flank 
(the  division  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  being  at  no  time  less  than  half  a  mile  in 
rear).  We  went  into  action  with  less  than  two  thousand  five  hundred  men,  and 
lost  considerably  more  than  half  our  number. 

We  have  been  proud  of  our  efforts  on  that  day,  and  hoped  that  they  would  be 
recognized.  It  is  but  natural  we  should  feel  disappointed  that  we  are  not  once 
referred  to  in  the  report  of  the  commanding  general. 

Trusting  that  you  will  investigate  this  matter  and  give  us  due  credit,  I  am,  Gen 
eral,  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN   C.    ROBINSON, 
Brig.- Gen.  Commanding  Division. 

General  Meade's  reply  to  this  communication,  if  he  ever  made 
any,  cannot  be  found  in  the  War  Records. 

The  following  table  shows  the  losses  at  Gettysburg : 

First  Corps    .........  6,059 

Second  Corps         ........  4,369 

Third  Corps  .         ........  4,211 

Fifth  Corps    ....                  ....  2,187 

Sixth  Corps   .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  242 

Eleventh  Corps      ........  3,801 

Twelfth  Corps         ........  1,082 

Cavalry  Corps         ........  852 

Artillery  Reserve    .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  242 

General  Headquarters    .......  4 

Total .........       23,049 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  247 

1863.  At  daylight  it  was  announced  that  the  Confederate 

Sunday,        army  had   retreated.     At  9   o'clock  the    regiment   was 
Ju  y  5<  moved  to  the  left  of  the  line  to  a  position  lately  occu 

pied  by  the  Third  Corps.  Burying  parties  were  now 
busily  employed  to  bury  the  dead,  from  whose  bodies  the  stench 
was  almost  intolerable. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  written  for  the  Christian 
Commission  by  Mr.  R.  G.  McCreary,  a  prominent  citizen  and  lawyer 
of  Gettysburg,  who  was  an  eye-witness  of  the  scenes  he  describes : 

The  battle  of  the  ist  of  July  commenced  about  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  be 
tween  the  rebels  advancing  on  the  Chambersburg  turnpike  and  Buford's  cavalry 
who,  as  the  infantry  of  the  First  Army  Corps  came  up  and  formed  in  line  of 
battle,  slowly  retired  to  the  rear.  The  approaching  storm  was  watched  with  in 
tense  anxiety  by  the  citizens,  but  it  was  not  long  until  the  boom  of  cannon,  the 
bursting  of  shell,  the  rattle  and  crash  of  heavy  infantry  firing  along  the  ridges 
west  of  the  town,  and  the  streams  of  litters  which  began  to  move  in  from  the 
field  of  carnage,  brought  them  to  realize  the  fact  that  a  fierce  and  bloody  contest 
was  in  progress. 

I  saw  no  more  of  the  battle  till  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  though  there  was 
abundant  evidence  in  the  many  mangled  forms  coining  in,  upon  whom  I  was 
tending,  and  the  louder  and  increasing  crash  of  arms,  that  the  conflict  was  a  most 
terrible  one,  and  was  rapidly  approaching  the  town.  At  length,  by  the  frequent 
explosion  of  shells  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  I  found  that  our  army  was 
falling  back,  and  soon  the  rush  and  roar  in  the  streets  banished  everything  else 
from  my  mind.  That  was  a  terrible  night.  Our  army  had  been  driven  back;  the 
town  was  full  of  armed  enemies.  We  saw  and  heard  the  progress  of  pillage  all 
around  us. 

The  morning  of  July  ad  revealed  a  dreadful  sight  —  dead  horses  and  dead  men 
lay  about  the  streets,  and  there  were  none  to  bury  them.  Our  first  care  was  for 
the  multitude  of  wounded  men  now  suffering  for  the  want  of  food.  The  bak 
eries  were  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  and  not  a  loaf  nor  a  cracker  remained;  the 
butchers'  cattle  had  been  driven  off  or  confiscated,  and  no  meat  could  be  procured; 
the  groceries  were  broken  open,  and  their  contents  carried  away  or  destroyed  by 
troops  of  rebels,  who,  like  hungry  wolves,  roamed  through  the  streets  in  search  of 
plunder. 

The  rebel  officers,  until  Friday  (July  3),  seemed  to  be  entirely  confident  of 
success.  One  of  them  said  to  me  on  the  forenoon  of  Thursday  that  they  would 
not  remain  with  us  more  than  a  few  hours,  as  General  Lee  had  his  plan  of  battle 
nearly  arranged,  and  they  would  move  forward,  and  he  seemed  to  think  with 
assured  success;  they  extolled  General  Lee  as  the  great  master  of  the  military 
art,  and  spoke  of  his  admirable  strategy  in  making  a  grand  feint  toward  Phila- 


248  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  delphia  in  order  to  concentrate  his  army  here  for  an  attack  on  Balti 

more  and  Washington.  About  this  time  a  squad  of  soldiers  passing 
were  halted,  and  asked  to  what  they  belonged?  They  replied,  "To  the  Second 
Louisiana  Brigade."  They  were  then  asked  if  they  had  taken  a  battery  they  had 
been  charging  upon?  and  they  replied  that  they  had  ''To  come  out,"  and  could 
not  take  it.  The  officers  were  silent.  These  men  said  the  next  day  that  they  had 
but  fifty  men  left  in  their  brigade  after  that  assault.  They  were  the  "  Louisiana 
Tigers,"  of  whom  those  officers  had  boasted  that  "  they  had  never  been  driven 
back  in  a  charge,  and  never  would  be." 

On  Friday  night  and  Saturday  morning  the  rebel  army  had  withdrawn  from 
the  town  to  the  crest  of  Seminary  Ridge,  and  our  skirmishers  had  driven  out  or 
captured  their  stragglers  and  pickets.  While  the  dead  still  lay  unburied  and  the 
helpless  wounded  upon  the  field  were  numbered  by  the  thousands,  the  call  of  the 
bugle  summoned  the  victors  from  the  side  of  the  dying,  the  faithful  surgeon  from 
the  pierced  skull,  the  mangled  flesh,  and  broken  limb.  Saturday,  Sunday,  and 
Monday,  the  town  of  Gettysburg  presented  a  woful  appearance.  Guns  were 
scattered  in  the  streets  or  piled  upon  the  sidewalks.  Pavements  were  stained 
with  blood.  Every  church  and  public  building,  and  in  fact  almost  every  private 
house,  was  filled  with  wounded.  More  than  twenty  thousand  wounded  men  were 
in  and  around  Gettysburg. 

After  the  departure  of  the  enemy  from  Gettysburg,  we  had  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  the  people,  who  gave  us  a  pretty  clear  idea  of 
how  Mr.  "Johnnie  Reb  "  behaved  while  in  possession  of  the  town, 
from  which  we  learned  a  new  lesson  in  warfare.  Not  exactly  a  new 
lesson,  but  the  application  of  an  old  one  in  vogue  during  the  days 
when  plundering  and  pillage  went  hand  in  hand  with  grim-visaged 
war. 

When  the  "  Rebs  "  crossed  the  border  line  of  Pennsylvania,  they 
began  a  systematic  plundering  of  such  towns  and  people  as  showed 
evidence  of  possessing  anything  worth  taking.  As  we  listened  to  the 
stories  that  were  told  us,  we  couldn't  refrain  from  contrasting  the 
methods  pursued  by  the  Union  army  when  marching  in  their  country. 
We  sometimes  thought  our  officers  were  unnecessarily  strict,  particu 
larly  in  the  matter  of  fence-rails.  A  good  many  soldiers  who  couldn't 
rob  a  bank  or  a  store,  had  no  compunctions  about  taking  rails  for  a 
fire  or  the  building  of  a  hut,  though  orders  were  continually  issued  to 
prevent  us.  The  enemy  probably  thought  it  was  quite  as  honorable 
to  crack  a  bank  as  to  be  seen  sneaking  away  with  a  fence-rail.  Gen 
eral  Sherman  says  war  should  be  carried  on  without  gloves,  which 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  249 

1863.  the  Southern  army  not  only  believed  in,  but  practised. 

What  we  did,  up  to  the  time  Sheridan  made  his  appear 
ance,  was  to  protect  property  and  crops ;  and  in  the  autumn  Stone 
wall  Jackson  would  make  a  raid,  up  the  valley  of  Virginia,  and  gather 
in  for  his  use  what  we  had  so  carefully  guarded.  It  looked  to  us  a 
little  like  overdoing  the  thing. 

The  "  Rebs  "  showed  mercy  to  no  one  ;  anybody  who  had  anything 
worth  the  taking,  was  compelled  to  surrender  it.  Upon  their  entry 
into  Gettysburg,  they  demanded  of  the  inhabitants  1,200  pounds  of 
sugar,  6,000  pounds  of  coffee,  60  barrels  of  flour,  100  pounds  of  salt, 
7,000  pounds  of  bacon,  10  barrels  of  whiskey,  10  barrels  of  onions, 
1,000  pairs  of  boots,  and  100  hats  ;  or,  in  lieu  thereof,  $5,000  in  cash. 
In  other  places  they  collected  large  stores  of  materials,  great  num 
bers  of  horses,  wagons,  and  cattle,  which  they  sent  across  the  Poto 
mac.  Whenever  we  got  anything  at  a  store  in  Virginia,  we  were 
charged  an  exorbitant  price,  as  though  we  were  all  "  Rothschilds  ;  "  and 
we  paid  for  it.  If  any  man  forgot  payment,  a  complaint  was  promptly 
made  to  the  colonel.  We  have  heard  a  good  deal  said  about  the 
sharpness  of  the  Yankee  trader,  and  no  doubt  the  early  settlers  on 
Cape  Cod  were  qualified  to  hold  their  end  up  with  the  shrewdest, 
but  that  was  a  long  time  ago.  As  compared  with  the  astuteness  of 
an  able-bodied  Virginian,  the  Yankee,  according  to  our  experience 
during  the  war,  must  take  a  back  seat.  Once  in  a  while  they  got 
worsted,  but  as  a  rule,  they  could  give  us  points.  One  thing  is 
certain,  we  did  not  stand  over  them  with  a  bayonet,  as  they  did  with 
the  people  of  Pennsylvania,  and  make  them  disgorge  their  hidden 
wealth.  We  admit  that  we  did  appropriate  rails  from  the  fences 
whenever  we  could  without  fear  of  arrest.  Prom  an  aesthetic  point 
of  view,  the  improvement  in  the  appearance  of  the  landscape  that 
followed  the  removal  of  those  unsightly  fences  more  than  compen 
sated  for  their  loss.  This  was  not  accepted  as  a  sufficient  excuse,  as 
it  might  have  been  had  they  possessed  any  artistic  appreciation  of 
the  beauty  of  the  country  in  which  they  lived. 


250  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

1863.  IT  having  been  definitely  settled  that  the  enemy  had 

Monday,       jeft  j-ne  vicinity  of  Gettysburg,  we  started  on  the  road 
toward  Emmitsburg,  and  after  a  march  of  six  miles  went 
into  camp  about  two   miles  north  of  that  town,  it  being 
certain  that  the  rebels  were  sufficiently  interested  in  their  own  wel 
fare  not  to  think  of  doing  us  any  harm. 

Got  away  early  and  marched  about   twenty  miles  over 

Tuesday,      a  rough  mountain  foot-path,  camping  about  8  P.M.  near 

July  7.  the  top  of  Catoctin  Mountain,  and  not  far  from  a  place 

called  Bealsville  (or  Bealtsville).     During  the  latter  half 

of  the  day  it  rained  in  torrents. 

During  our  march  to-day  a  very  pretty  scene  occurred  that  touched 
a  tender  chord  in  the  hearts  of  the  boys.  Our  service  in  Virginia 
was  so  generally  exempt  from  exhibitions  of  loyalty,  that  we 
highly  appreciated  the  evidences  of  warm-hearted  feeling  which 
existed  for  Union  soldiers,  and  it  brought  a  good  deal  of  en 
couragement.  These  outward  manifestations  of  friendly  feeling 
for  us  were  so  very  real,  that  they  made  a  deep  impression  on  the 
mind.  We  were  a  dirty,  ragged,  unattractive  lot ;  our  equipments 
battered  with  the  hard  usage  of  many  campaigns  of  marching,  dig 
ging,  and  righting.  In  spite  of  our  uncomely  and  unsoldierly 
appearance,  we  were  enthusiastically  received,  and  it  did  us  a  power 
of  good.  We  had  halted  for  a  rest  at  some  cross-roads,  when  a  lot 
of  pretty  bright-eyed  girls,  all  dressed  in  "  Stars  and  Stripes,"  came 
from  a  school  near  by,  and  forming  themselves  into  a  group,  with 
the  smallest  standing  on  the  upper  rail  of  a  fence,  waving  a  flag, 
they  sung  the  "  Battle-cry  of  Freedom."  It  was  an  affecting  sight 
to  see  those  pretty  little  creatures,  so  earnest  and  with  voices  so 
sweet,  singing  to  a  lot  of  old  veterans,  whose  eyes  moistened  as  they 


MAP  N?)5 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  251 

1863.  listened  in  silence  to  the  words  of  that  noble  hymn.     It 

was  a  graceful  thing,  which  the  lapse  of  time  cannot 
efface  from  our  memory. 

Marched  in  a  drenching  rain  through  Bealsville  and 
Wednesday,  Middletown,  halting  about  four  hours  in  the  latter  place  ; 
July  8.  then  continued  our  march  through  South  Mountain  Gap, 

where  we  halted  after  dark.  Distance,  fourteen  miles. 
Upon  our  arrival  we  threw  up  works  in  anticipation  that  the  enemy 
might  dispute  our  advance,  as  some  of  our  artillery  had  become 
engaged  with  him  just  outside  of  Boonsboro'.  We  finished  our 
line  of  breastworks  about  midnight. 

At  daylight  we  found  ourselves  lying  in  line  of  battle 
Thursday,  on  the  Boonsboro'  side  of  the  mountain,  about  half-way 
July  9.  down  in  the  rear  of  three  lines  already  formed,  —  a  fact 

we  were  ignorant  of  on  our  arrival  last  night.  Until 
reaching  Middletown  yesterday,  our  direction  had  been  southerly ; 
but  on  leaving  that  town  we  changed  it  to  north-west,  our  noses 
pointing  toward  Hagerstown,  about  twelve  miles  away.  That  is  to 
say  that  we  were  within  twelve  miles  of  the  point  where  we  landed 
Aug.  i,  1 86 1,  on  our  journey  from  home — almost  two  years 
before.  Verily  we  must  make  better  time  if  the  rebellion  was  to 
be  crushed  before  our  term  of  service  expired.  We  remained  all 
day  in  this  position. 

The  enemy  having  fallen  back,  we  marched  down  the 
Friday,  mountain  to  Boonsboro',  that  pleasant  little  town,  through 
July  10.  which  we  marched  in  the  days  when  we  were  a  thousand 

strong,  now  with  only  seventy-eight  men.  We  found 
that  the  people  still  held  us  in  kindly  remembrance,  and  opportu 
nity  was  afforded  of  renewing  our  acquaintances  of  two  years  back. 
We  proceded  to  a  spot  near  Funkstown,  about  four  miles  from 
Hagerstown,  on  the  Baltimore  Pike,  where  we  camped  for  the  night. 
This  country  was  as  familiar  to  us  as  the  scenes  of  our  childhood, 
and  the  old  friends  we  met  set  our  hearts  beating  with  pleasure. 

The  people  were  glad  enough  to  supply  us  with  milk  and  bread, 
and  in  fact  with  luxuries,  such  as  pies  and  cakes. 

During  the   last   two  or  three  days  our  artillery  had  been  doing 


252  THEEE    YEARS    7.V    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  considerable  "barking,"   but,  like  a  young  terrier  dog, 

it  was  all  bark  and  no  bite. 

On  the  nth  of  July  General  Lee  issued  to  his  soldiers  the  follow 
ing  stirring  appeal : 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

]\TO    _g_  /         HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

July  n,  1863. 

After  long  and  trying  marches,  with  the  fortitude  that  has  ever  characterized 
the  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  you  have  penetrated  the  country  of 
our  enemies,  and  recalled  to  the  defence  of  their  own  soil  those  who  were  engaged 
in  the  invasion  of  ours. 

You  have  fought  a  fierce  and  sanguinary  battle,  which,  if  not  attended  with  the 
success  that  has  hitherto  crowned  your  efforts,  was  marked  by  the  same  heroic 
spirit  that  has  commanded  the  respect  of  your  enemies,  the  gratitude  of  your 
country,  and  the  admiration  of  mankind. 

Once  more  you  are  called  upon  to  meet  the  army  from  which  you  have  won  on 
so  many  fields  a  name  that  will  never  die. 

Once  more  the  eyes  of  your  countrymen  are  turned  upon  you,  and  again  do 
wives  and  sisters,  fathers  and  mothers,  and  helpless  children  lean  for  defence  on 
your  strong  arms  and  brave  hearts. 

Let  every  soldier  remember  that  on  his  courage  and  fidelity  depends  all  that 
makes  life  worth  living,  —  the  freedom  of  his  country,  the  honor  of  his  people,  and 
security  of  his  home.  Let  each  heart  grow  strong  in  the  remembrance  of  our  glo 
rious  past,  and  in  the  thought  of  the  inestimable  blessings  for  which  we  contend, 
and,  invoking  the  assistance  of  the  Divine  Providence,  which  has  so  signally 
blessed  our  former  efforts,  let  us  go  forth  in  confidence  to  secure  the  peace  and 
safety  of  our  country. 

Soldiers!  your  old  enemy  is  before  you!  Win  from  him  honors  worthy  of 
your  righteous  cause  —  worthy  of  your  comrades  dead  on  so  many  illustrious 
fields. 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

The  South  was  bound  to  have  honor  and  peace,  if  it  had  to 
smash  everything  in  the  house. 

Last  night  we  were  on  picket,  but  were  withdrawn  this 
Sunday,  morning,  when  we  moved  across  Antietam  Creek  and 
July  12.  built  earthworks,  facing  Hagerstown.  We  were  called 
upon  to-day  by  Senator  Wilson.  As  Company  H  was 
from  Natick,  his  place  of  residence,  it  was  expected  that  he  would 
favor  us  with  some  remarks,  but  the  rain  prevented. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  253 

1863.  All  clay  long  could  be  heard  firing  by  the  skirmishers 

Monday,  of  ^otn  armjes>  ami  there  were  expectations  that  a  battle 
•'u  would  be  fought.  The  enemy  was  making  earnest  efforts 

to  get  across  the  river  at  Williamsport,  but  the  water  had 
risen  so  high  that  it  was  a  dangerous  undertaking  without  bridges. 

In  order  to  test  the  depth  and  current  from  time  to  time,  the 
enemy  would  make  a  "nigger"  attempt  to  ford  the  river  daily; 
threatening  him  with  his  life  if  he  didn't  comply,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  one  of  our  boys,  who  was  there  as  a  prisoner. 

Fresh  troops  were  constantly  arriving  to  increase  our  numbers, 
and  if  the  enemy  would  only  wait  long  enough  we  would  make  bold 
to  attack  him.  In  the  meantime  we  became  impatient  at  our 
delay. 

We  have  heard  men  say  that  they  would  as  lief  fight  as  to  eat. 
We  are  not  prepared  to  dispute  the  existence  of  such  a  propensity, 
though  we  believe  it  was  extremely  rare.  We  have  in  mind  one  of 
these  heroes,  who,  previous  to  his  desertion,  had  excited  our  admira 
tion  by  his  expressions  of  impatience  because  the  opportunity  for 
fighting  had  been  so  long  delayed.  We  couldn't  understand  why, 
having  enlisted  as  a  soldier,  all  our  fighting  blood  seemed  to  have 
vanished,  and  we  hoped  that  some  of  the  overflow  from  his  abundant 
supply  of  courage  might  reach  us ;  but  it  didn't,  because,  as  will  be 
seen,  there  wasn't  any  to  overflow.  When  we  came  within  range  of 
the  enemy's  fire  at  the  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain,  this  hero  clapped 
his  hand  on  his  dipper,  exclaiming,  "  By  Gad  !  I've  lost  my  dipper  !" 
and  "  lit  out  "  to  find  it.  Three  days  after,  he  returned  to  relate  the 
wonderful  deeds  he  had  performed  while  fighting  in  another  regiment. 
He  was  not  court-martialed,  though  he  ought  to  have  been.  It  irri 
tated  him  very  much  to  hear  repeated  day  after  day  the  stories  he 
had  related  of  his  valor,  polished  and  exaggerated  by  the  wit  of 
others ;  and  so  he  decamped,  and  we  never  saw  him  any  more. 
His  name  may  be  found  among  those  patriots  who  "  struck  for 
home,"  having  escaped  being  a  hero  for  the  lack  of  a  good  pair 
of  legs.  One  satisfaction  we  got  out  of  this  exhibition  of  heroism 
was  that  we  were  a  little  less  ashamed  to  say  we  preferred  eating 
to  fighting.  Furthermore,  we  began  to  ponder  on  this  abnormal 


254  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  appetite  for  human  gore,  which  was  said  to  exist,  until 

we   became  convinced  that  few  men    desired  to  fight 
for  the  love  of  fighting. 

According  to  our  experience  the  present  situation  was  one  of  the 
very  few  occasions  during  three  years'  service  when  the  army  really 
wanted  to  fight,  excepting  of  course  those  particular  moments  when 
men  are  wrought  to  a  high  pitch  of  excitement,  such  as  the  moment 
of  Pickett's  repulse  on  the  third  day  of  Gettysburg.  Lee  was  now 
about  to  cross  the  Potomac,  and  the  opportunity  seemed  at  hand 
when  we  might  finish  up  the  job  so  far  as  his  army  was  concerned. 
Here  he  was,  his  movement  south  retarded  by  a  swollen  river  ;  his 
men  demoralized ;  encumbered  with  a  large  wagon  train,  including 
ambulances  loaded  with  wounded  and  sick,  and  Lee  himself  most 
likely  disheartened.  Our  army  did  not  want  to  go  back  into 
Virginia  to  engage  in  another  series  of  unsuccessful  campaigns. 
For  these  reasons  the  army  was  anxious  to  fight,  and  our  com 
manding  officers  were  condemned  in  harsh  and  bitter  terms  by  the 
rank  and  file,  when  it  was  learned  that  Lee  had  crossed  the  river. 

Discovering  that  the  few  troops  of  the  enemy  that 
Tuesday,  had  been  left  in  our  front  to  scare  us  from  activity  had 
July  14.  disappeared,  we  soon  learned  that  the  rebel  army  had 
succeeded  in  crossing  into  Virginia,  making  it  perfectly 
safe  for  us  to  advance  to,  the  river  without  molestation.  As  one  of 
the  boys  facetiously  said,  "  We  act  like  a  lot  of  scared  monkeys." 

In  the  afternoon  we  marched  to  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of 
Williamsport,  which  town  we  left  March  i,  1862.  Being  dis 
appointed  that  Lee  was  allowed  to  cross  without  a  battle,  the  regi 
ment  was  hardly  in  a  mood  to  visit  its  old  friends  with  whom  we 
spent  nearly  five  pleasant  months.  Visits  were  paid  us,  however,  by 
several  persons,  from  whom  we  heard  about  the  boys  of  the  Thir 
teenth  who  were  captured  at  Gettysburg,  and  who  passed  through  the 
town  with  the  division  under  General  Imboden.  We  got  considerable 
information  about  the  enemy,  and  learned  how  much  they  feared  we 
would  attempt  to  stop  their  flight,  as  they  were  in  no  condition  to 
make  much  of  an  opposition.  This  news  had  a  still  further  de 
pressing  effect  on  us,  and  all  night  long  we  did  penance  by  fighting 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  255 

1863.  the  bugs  which  infested  the  clover-field  where  the  regi 

ment  was  encamped. 

With  respect  to  the  operations  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at 
this  time,  it  is  interesting  to  read  the  testimony  given  before  the 
Congressional  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War,  of  which  the 
following  is  an  extract : 

General  Sedgwick  made  the  statement  that  a  council  of  war  was  held  by  Gen 
eral  Meade,  July  I2th,  and  that  General  Wadsworth,  then  commanding  the  First 
Corps  in  the  absence  of  General  Newton,  General  Howard,  of  the  Eleventh,  and 
General  Pleasanton,  commanding  the  cavalry,  voted  for  attack,  and  that  all  others 
present  strongly  opposed  it. 

General  Wadsworth's  testimony  before  the  same  committee  was  that  a  council 
was  held  at  9  P.M.  on  the  evening  of  the  lath,  at  Meade's  headquarters.  That 
Meade  stated  briefly  the  condition  of  our  forces,  giving  his  estimates  of  our  army 
and  the  best  information  he  had  as  to  the  strength  of  the  enemy. 

That  Generals  Sedgwick,  Slocum,  Sykes,  French,  and  Hays  pronounced  de 
cidedly  against  the  attack.  That  General  Meade  stated  that  he  favored  an  attack. 
That  he  came  there  to  fight  the  enemy,  and  he  did  not  see  any  good  reason  why 
he  should  not  fight  them,  but  he  could  not  take  the  responsibility  of  bringing  on 
an  engagement  against  the  advice  of  his  corps  commanders. 

Allowing  Lee  to  cross  the  Potomac  River  without  interference  had 
a  very  demoralizing  effect  on  the  army.  To  march  all  the  way  from 
Gettysburg  to  Williamsport  merely  to  see  that  Lee  got  safely  across 
the  river  seemed  an  unnecessary  expenditure  of  muscle.  The  army 
felt  exactly  as  General  Meade  described  his  own  feelings  to  be,  and 
it  seemed  a  pity  that  his  strength  of  mind  was  not  equal  to  his 
judgment.  "Councils  of  war  never  fight,"  has  been  said.  The 
army  was  heartily  sick  of  this  shilly-shally  way  of  fighting.  The 
growing  feeling  of  discontent  that  rankled  in  the  hearts  of  the  men 
found  daily  utterance  as  we  marched  along. 

Instead  of  following  Lee's  army  across  the  river  at 
Wednesday,  Williamsport,  we  took  a  south-easterly  direction,  march- 
July  15.  ing  through  Bakersville,  Keedysville,  and  Rohrersville, 
to  Crampton  Gap,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  where  we 
camped.  During  the  day  we  crossed  a  portion  of  the  Antietam 
battlefield.  "  The  enemy  was  driven  out  of  Maryland,"  as  the 
papers  stated,  while  we  were  styled  "  The  defenders  of  the  nation's 


256  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  honor."     The  statement  didn't  seem  to  be  quite  in  ac 

cordance  with  the  facts,  nor  were  we  at  all  satisfied  that 
the  "  nation's  honor  "  had  been  very  well  defended. 

The  second  anniversary  of  our  muster-in  at  Fort  In- 
Thursday,     dependence.       One    year    more    of   service. 
July  16.  In  the  meantime  we  continued  singing  "What  will  you 

do  when  the  war  breaks  the  country  up? " 

We  marched  down  the  mountain,  through  Burkittsville,  to  near 
Berlin,  where  we  encamped  —  a  distance  of  eight  miles.  The  sutler 
arrived  with  a  load  of  luxuries,  and  he  afforded  almost  as  much  pleas 
ure  as  the  paymaster. 

Yesterday  we  saw  the  Fifty-first  Regiment,  whose  term 

Saturday,      of  enlistment  (nine  months)  had  expired,  start  for  home. 

July  18.        This  regiment  was  placed  in  the  second  division  of  our 

corps  on  the  i3th  inst.,  and  fortunately  for  its  members 

they  escaped  the  honor  of  dying  for  their  country. 

A  pontoon  bridge  having  been  completed  across  the  Potomac,  we 
crossed  to  Waterford,  about  eight  miles,  passing  through  the  village 
of  Lovettsville. 

Marched  eight  miles  to  a  point  beyond  Hamilton,  and 
Sunday,  camped  in  the  woods  near  Harmony  Church ;  arriving, 
July  19.  alas  !  too  late  for  church  services.  A  lieutenant  and 
six  men  were  detailed  and  started  on  the  25th  for 
Boston  for  the  conscripts,  substitutes,  volunteers,  and  bounty-jumpers 
who  were  assigned  to  the  Thirteenth. 

Marched  at  4  A.M.,  reaching  Middleburg  at  six  in  the 
Monday,  evening,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles.  Two  of  General 
July  20.  Newton's  staff  were  captured  by  Mosby's  guerillas. 

On  reaching  Goose  Creek  we  found  the  water  be 
tween  three  and  four  feet  deep  and  without  a  bridge,  so  we  were 
obliged  to  ford  it.  A  soldier  acts  a  good  deal  like  a  cat  when  his 
feet  first  touch  the  water.  In  this  case  the  banks  were  very  slippery, 
and  before  they  knew  it,  a  good  many  made  an  unexpected  plunge 
into  the  stream,  to  the  great  merriment  of  others  who  had  suc 
ceeded  better. 

We  found  two  hundred  sick  and  wounded  rebel  soldiers  at  this 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  257 

1863.  place,  abandoned   by  the   enemy,  who   were  hastening 

on  towards  Richmond.  We  also  found  a  large  quan 
tity  of  stores  stolen  from  the  people  of  Maryland  and  Pennsyl 
vania,  which  were  appropriated  to  the  uses  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac. 

We  spent  the  day  in  picking  blackberries,  which 
Wednesday,  were  in  great  abundance,  and  hunting  for  new  potatoes. 
July  22.  in  the  evening,  about  10  o'clock,  we  started  as  rear 

guard  to  the  wagon  train,  and  marched  until  3  A.M.  • — 
a  distance  of  ten  miles.  Before  reaching  White  Plains,  the  Thir 
teenth  was  halted  and  sent  out  for  picket  duty. 

We  were  witness  to-day  of  an  exhibition  of  loyalty  that  was  re 
freshing,  as  it  was  unexpected.  A  girl  between  fourteen  and  six 
teen  years  of  age,  while  on  her  way  to  school,  gave  the  contents  of 
her  dinner-basket  to  some  of  the  boys.  "  Bully  for  her  ! "  was  the 
exclamation.  A  short  distance  farther  on,  as  we  were  passing  a 
house,  the  lady  thereof  gave  us  all  the  bread  she  had,  hot  from 
the  oven,  remarking  that  if  she  had  known  we  were  coming  she 
would  have  baked  more,  adding  that  she  was  glad  of  an  oppor 
tunity  of  doing  something  for  "  her  government."  In  addition  to 
this  act  of  kindness,  she  made  her  boys  bring  water  to  the  road  for 
us  to  drink. 

As  an  offset  to  this  kindness,  one  of  the  boys,  after  we  reached 
camp,  made  application  at  a  house  for  some  milk,  and  was  captured 
by  Mosby's  men,  but  was  subsequently  paroled,  —  a  streak  of  good 
fortune  which  did  occasionally  occur,  even  with  Mosby. 

Marched   at    10   A.M.,   arriving   at    Warrenton  at    4 

Thursday,     P.M.,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles.     We  passed  through 

July  23.         the  town  to  the  west,  camping  on  the  hill.     It  was  about 

a  year  since  we  camped   in  this  vicinity,  where  we  had 

such  a  feast  of  blackberries  and  sulphur-spring  water. 

Yesterday  was  spent  by  some   of  us  in  visiting  the 
Saturday,     acquaintances  we   made   on  our  previous  visit ;   reach- 
July  25.         ing  "across   the   bloody   chasm,"    and    shaking    hands 
with   some   who   could   sink  their   prejudices   against  a 
Yankee  long  enough  to   pump  him   for    information    of  what  was 


258  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  going  to  be   done.       We    were    otherwise    engaged  in 

throwing  up  earthworks. 

This  morning  we  were  turned  out  at  3  A.M.,  and  marched  at  five 
o'clock  to  Warrenton  Junction,  twelve  miles,  which  place  we  reached 
at  noon.  Here  we  rested  for  an  hour  or  two  and  then  marched  to 
Catlett's  Station,  three  miles,  and,  for  some  unexplained  reason, 
immediately  returned  to  the  Junction. 

At  night,  while  a  heavy  thunder-shower  was  coming  up,  and  we 
were  congratulating  ourselves  at  being  snugly  encamped,  the  "  gen 
eral  "  was  sounded  from  brigade  headquarters  for  us  to  pack  up, 
and  just  as  it  began  to  rain  we  marched  to  Bealton  Station,  eight 
miles,  where  we  arrived  at  midnight,  soaked  through  to  the  skin  — 
all  on  account  of  having  no  umbrellas. 

The  Thirty-ninth  Massachusetts  was  added  to  our 
Sunday,  brigade  to-day.  'Having  full  ranks,  it  looked  to  us  more 
July  26.  like  a  brigade  than  a  regiment. 

Blackberries  were  all  about  us  in  great  quantities,  and 
we  made  the  most  of  our  opportunity  to  pick  them. 

We  changed  camp  during  the  day  to  a  higher  ground,  on  the 
same  spot  where  we  camped  June  13. 

Marched  to  the  Rappahannock  Station,  taking  position 
Monday,  in  the  old  fortifications  above  the  bridge,  where  we  could 
July  27.  easily  see  the  rebel  pickets  across  the  river. 

Orders  were  read  to  the  regiment  "  not  to  build  fires 
nor  to  go  to  the  top  of  the  hill."  Three  or  four  of  the  boys,  whose 
curiosity  could  not  be  restrained,  ventured  to  the  summit  in  spite 
of  this  command,  and  on  their  way  back  met  an  officer  who 
awarded  them  four  hours'  "  knapsack  drill "  as  punishment  for 
disobeying  orders. 

Our  position  was  behind  a  hill.  The  only  part  of  our 
Tuesday,  division  with  us  was  our  brigade  and  a  small  cavalry 
July  28.  force,  the  remainder  of  the  division  being  scattered 

along  the  railroad  to  Warrenton  Junction. 

A  small  force  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  were  in  sight  across  the  river, 
and,  as  we  believed,  too  few  in  number  to  dispute  our  advance. 
We  were  completely  washed  out  by  a  thunder-storm  to-day. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  259 

1863.  The  second  anniversary  of  our  departure  from  home. 

Wednesday,      ^he  railroad  having  been  repaired  to  Rappahannock 
"  Station,  pontoons  were  brought  along  from  Alexandria. 

A  detail  of  two  hundred  men  was  made  from  the 
brigade  to  construct  a  bridge  across  the  river,  which  was  completed 
about  midnight. 

While  some  of  us  were  watching  the  building  of  the  bridge,  one 
of  the  boys  related  an  incident  that  happened  to  him  the  night  we 
reached  this  place  on  our  retreat,  under  Pope,  from  the  Rapidan 
during  the  Manassas  campaign.  It  will  be  remembered  that  on 
that  occasion  we  had  been  on  the  road  more  than  nineteen  hours, 
so  that  by  the  time  we  reached  the  Rappahannock  River,  the  men 
were  so  completely  fagged  out  that  they  threw  themselves  on  the 
ground  without  waiting  for  orders,  and  were  soon  fast  asleep.  In  a 
few  moments  orderly-sergeants  could  be  heard  vigorously  calling  the 
names  of  men  for  picket  duty ;  but  all  in  vain,  as  no  response  was 
heard.  Candles  were  then  lighted,  and  the  detail  selected  from  those 
unfortunate  beings  who  happened  to  have  dumped  themselves  near 
the  sergeants.  The  guard  being  formed,  it  was  marched  back  across 
the  river  and  posted.  As  it  was  reasonably  certain  that  the  enemy's 
pickets  would  advance  to  as  near  the  river  as  possible,  great  caution 
had  to  be  exercised  to  prevent  a  surprise.  Our  informant  says  that 
after  two  or  three  hours  of  watching,  his  eyes  closed  in  spite  of  his 
responsibility  and  the  fact  that  he  might  be  shot  if  found  asleep. 
Suddenly  he  was  startled  by  the  noise,  as  he  imagined,  of  some  one 
approaching ;  terrified  lest  he  had  been  caught  napping,  he  thought 
he  saw  a  man  crouching  on  the  ground  a  short  distance  in  front  of 
him.  It  was  too  dark  to  distinguish  objects,  so  he  dropped  on  his 
hands  and  knees  and  slowly  approached  the  figure,  thinking  of  the 
glory  that  awaited  him  if  he  should  capture  a  rebel  picket.  When 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  object,  he  rushed  forward  and  grabbed 
with  all  his  might,  and  to  his  great  amazement  —  a  barrel  of  beans  ! 
At  daylight  he  rolled  it  into  camp  and  divided  the  contents  among 
his  comrades.  On  being  relieved  from  duty  he  proceeded  to  make 
a  bean  stew  by  means  of  his  dipper,  that  being  the  only  utensil  he 


260  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  had.      After  spending    the    entire    day  in  patiently  re 

plenishing  the  fire  and  dipping  out  beans  from  his 
constantly  overflowing  cup,  he  found  to  his  sorrow  that  they  were 
about  as  hard  as  pills,  so  he  emptied  them  into  the  river,  where 
they  have  been  soaking  ever  since.  Patience  and  profanity  accom 
plished  wonders  in  our  army,  as  no  doubt  they  did  in  the  armies  of 
Caesar  and  Hannibal ;  but  they  failed  completely  when  applied  to 
cooking  beans  in  a  tin  dipper  holding  only  a  pint. 

We  were  called  up  at  3  A.M.,  and  taken  to  the  top  of 
Saturday,      fae  fr{\\}  where  we  could  aid  in  protecting  the  men  at 
work  on  the  bridge. 

When  the  bridge  was  completed  Buford's  division  of  cavalry  and 
a  battery  crossed  and  drove  the  enemy  within  two  miles  of  Cul- 
peper,  which  town  is  about  eleven  miles  south  from  where  we  were 
stationed,  and  where  he  encountered  Longstreet's  corps,  who  attacked 
and  repulsed  our  forces.  At  noon  we  crossed  the  river,  advancing 
in  line  of  battle  along  the  south  bank,  until  we  reached  the  hill 
where  stood  the  '-'white  house,"  so  called;  and  at  sunset  began  the 
building  of  rifle-pits,  which  we  completed  about  midnight,  and  then 
turned  in  and  slept  "  the  sleep  of  the  just." 

The  weather  was  very  warm.      Last  evening  numbers 
Sunday,         of  Buford's  cavalry  came  straggling  in  with  exaggerated 
August  z.      stories  of  their  losses,  reminding  us  of  what  David,  the 
psalmist,  said,  that  "  all  men  are  liars." 

Strong  evidences  prevailed  that  we  were  to  have  a  fight,  as  we 
were  ordered  to  remain  constantly  in  our  places,  while  workmen 
were  busy  all  day  repairing  the  railroad  bridge.  So  far  the  First 
Corps  was  the  only  one  across  the  Rappahannock. 

We  continued  the  work  of  fortifying,  building  intrenchments,  and 
felling  trees  for  abattis. 

We  could  plainly  hear  the  fighting  of  the  cavalry  at  Brandy 
Station. 

The  heat  continued  intolerable.     The  railroad  bridge 
Monday,       being  completed,  trains  were  allowed  to  pass  with  sup- 
August  3.      plies.     Notwithstanding  our  expectations  of  a  fight,  the 
enemy   was    rather  shy,  so  we  busied  ourselves  fighting 
mosquitoes  instead,  and  abusing  Noah  for  taking  them  into  the  Ark. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  2(31 

1863.  Part  of   the  regiment  was  on   picket   yesterday,  and 

Wednesday,  reinained  there  to-day.     Buford's  cavalry,  stationed  near 
the  picket  line,  were  fighting  the  enemy  most  of  the  day, 
and  at  times  it  looked  as  though  there  might  be  a  gen 
eral  engagement ;  but  the  "  Johnnies  "  retired  at  last. 

Notwithstanding  this  day  had  been  set  apart  by  order 
Thursday,  of  the  President  as  a  "  National  Thanksgiving  day,"  the 
August  6.  boys  were  dispirited  and  unhappy.  We  seemed  to  be 
accomplishing  nothing,  while  the  newspapers  were  full  of 
the  difficulties  that  stood  in  the  way  of  getting  more  men  by  means 
of  the  draft.  We  talked  over  these  matters  in  camp  and  on  picket 
until  we  were  thoroughly  disgusted.  We  were  no  further  advanced 
toward  Richmond  than  we  were  a  year  ago.  The  weather  was  un 
comfortably  warm,  as  was  also  our  tempers.  It  was  while  we  were 
in  this  disconsolate  mood  that  our  thoughts  were  unexpectedly 
diverted. 

There  was  a  regiment  recently  assigned  to  our  brigade  whose 
colonel  saw  fit  to  criticise  what  he  was  pleased  to  call  ourunsoldierly 
appearance,  whereupon  he  was  promptly  told  to  go  somewhere. 
This  freedom  of  speech  didn't  seem  to  harmonize  with  his  ideas  of 
subordination,  though  it  was  none  of  his  business  how  we  looked. 
He  was  one  of  a  class  of  men  who  labor  under  the  astronomical 
error  of  thinking  the  earth  cannot  move  in  its  orbit  nor  revolve  on 
its  axis  without  their  consent,  and  who,  having  a  feeling  of  respon 
sibility  for  all  matters  that  take  place  on  the  land  or  in  the  sea,  be 
come  very  wroth  when  anything  happens  to  mar  their  beautiful 
conceit.  Instead  of  being  pleased  with  our  invitation  to  go  some 
where,  he  became  enraged,  and  called  us  an  "  armed  mob  !  "  There 
must  have  been  a  lot  of  bitterness  in  the  sap  of  his  ancestral  tree 
to  have  produced  a  fruit  so  acrid  and  uncomfortable  as  he  appeared 
to  be  to  the  rank  and  file  of  the  Thirteenth.  Since  "  Old  Crummy  " 
had  left  us  we  had  found  no  one  with  sufficient  testiness  in  his 
composition  to  notice  our  lack  of  homage  to  officers  in  other  regi 
ments.  He  seemed  to  think  because  he  held  a  commission  in 
another  organization  he  could  lecture  us  on  our  duties.  When  an 
officer  has  the  arrogance  to  fancy  himself  clothed  with  so  grave  a 


262  THREE    YE  A  US    IN    THE    A  I!  MY. 

1863.  responsibility  as    reforming    the    world,  he    is  likely  to 

have  a  very  unhappy  time  of  it  if  he  attempts  his  mis 
sionary  work  on  the  rank  and  file  of  another  regiment  than  his  own. 
Stirring  up  a  hornets'  nest  is  the  supremest  enjoyment  in  comparison 
to  the  annoyance  experienced  when  a  lot  of  private  soldiers  begin  a 
system  of  retaliation. 

We  were  told  that  prior  to  the  war  this  officer  was  an  inspector  of 
the  State  militia,  where  he  was  in  the  habit  of  seeing  troops  arrayed 
in  fine,  well-fitting  uniforms  and  equipments,  all  in  perfect  order. 
Then,  if  a  soldier  was  seen  with  cap  awry,  a  button  lacking  on  his 
coat,  or  a  belt  improperly  adjusted,  he  was  a  subject  for  reprimand. 
His  service  at  the  front  had  been  too  brief  for  him  to  appreciate  the 
condition  to  which  a  soldier  could  be  reduced  by  long  marches, 
hard  fighting,  and  months  of  picket  duty.  It  shocked  his  finical 
notions  to  see  a  lot  of  ragged,  dirty  soldiers,  with  battered  canteens, 
caps  with  visors  torn  or  removed,  and  trousers  shrunk  nearly  to 
the  knees.  An  enlisted  man,  though  an  insignificant  cog  in  the 
wheel  of  that  great  machine  called  the  army,  has  it  in  his  power, 
without  overstepping  the  bounds  where  punishment  begins,  to  make 
himself  a  very  disagreeable  and  irritating  thorn  when  he  sets  out  to 
be.  As  soon  as  we  discovered  that  this  officer  had  an  excitable 
temper,  there  was  fun  galore,  and  his  fondness  for  lecturing  afforded 
us  frequent  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  biting  wit.  Among  the 
things  we  did  was  to  give  him  a  name  befitting  his  rank  and  physi 
cal  appearance,  such  as  "  Colonel  Martinet,"  "  Falstaff,"  and 
"  Hudibras,"  but  the  name  which  stuck  was  "  Old  Bowels."  In  the 
scheme  of  aggravation  which  we  practised,  his  wrath  was  often 
stirred  to  his  very  boots,  yet  it  was  carried  on  with  such  prudence  that 
when  he  made  complaint  to  our  colonel,  he  found  it  difficult  to  ex 
plain  just  what  the  offence  was,  except  in  terms  too  general  for  notice, 
and  therefore  no  attention  was  or  could  be  paid  to  his  charges. 
No  officer  with  a  particle  of  sense  ever  scolded  the  men  of  another 
regiment,  except  when  they  were  temporarily  assigned  to  his  com 
mand,  because  there  could  be  but  one  result.  As  a  general  rule,  the 
rank  and  file  of  an  army  never  showed  disrespect  to  officers  in  other 
regiments  if  they  attended  to  their  own  affairs,  and  we  might  have 


TIIIHTEEXTir    MASS.     VOLS.  2(3o 

1863  respected  him  if  he  had  minded  his  own  business,  as  he 

ought  to  have  done.     Shakespeare  must  have  had  a  man 
like  him  in  mind  when  he  penned  the  following  lines : 

"  But  man,  proud  man, 
Drest  in  a  little  brief  authority, 
Most  ignorant  of  what  he's  most  assur'd, 
His  glassy  essence,  like  an  angry  ape, 
Plays  such  fantastic  tricks  before  high  heaven, 
As  make  the  angels  weep." 

There  is  one  thing  in  his  favor,  we  are  bound  to  say,  and  that  is, 
that  we  never  knew  him  to  lose  his  temper.  He  always  had  his 
temper  with  him ;  and,  so  far  as  we  could  judge  from  appearances, 
it  never  registered,  even  in  the  shade,  less  than  100°  Fahrenheit, 
and  was  gilt-edged. 

We  recrossed  the  Rappahannock,  camping  on  a  hill  in 
Saturday,      the  bend  of  the  river  just  above  the  spring. 
August  8.          The  fog  of  melancholy  which  had  been  hovering  over 
the    camp  was    dispelled  when  we  heard    of  the    pay 
master's  arrival. 

We  still  continued  bathing  in  the  river,  making  it  mighty  uncom 
fortable  for  the  pcdiculus  vestimenti,  who  couldn't  swim. 

Travelling  in  the  wake  of  the  paymaster  came  the 
Sunday,  sutler,  whose  arrival  to-day  was  greeted  with  unfeigned 
August  9.  joy.  Though  the  sutler  collected  the  mortgage  he  held 
on  the  instalment  of  pay  we  received,  yet  there  was 
enough  left  to  sweeten  our  toil  with  some  of  the  good  things  he 
brought  with  him,  and  before  night  his  stock  was  cleaned  out  as 
completely  as  were  the  funds  of  those  who  undertook  to  capture 
that  notorious  guerilla  chief  called  "Jack  Pot,"  whose  presence  in 
the  army  often  caused  a  good  deal  of  sorrow. 

We  were  still  at   Rappahannock  Station,  with  eleven 
Friday,          months  of  service  ahead  of  us. 

August  14.        One  hundred  and  eighty-six  recruits  arrived  in  camp 
to-day.     Heretofore  the  men  who  came  to  us  reflected 
credit  on  themselves,  the  regiment,  and  the  State.     This  lot  con 
sisted   of  substitutes,    bounty-jumpers,    and   one   unfortunate    con- 


264  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  script.  Most  of  this  number  were  thieves  and  roughs 
who  were  engaged  in  the  draft  riots,  and  were  obliged 

to  leave  New  York  and  Boston  in  self-defence.  They  were  assigned 
as  follows : 

A      .     .     23  F      .     .  19 

B      .     .     20  G      .     .  14 

C      .     .     18  H      .     .  18 

D     .     .      17  I       .     .  17 

E      .     .     22  K      .     .  18 

Strong  men,  particularly  soldiers,  are  not  easily  moved  to  tears, 
yet  the  cheeks  of  a  good  many  men  were  wet  as  they  gazed  on  these 
ruffians  drawn  up  in  line  for  assignment  to  companies.  The  pride 
which  we  felt  in  the  membership  of  the  Thirteenth  turned  to  bitter 
ness  at  sight  of  these  fellows. 

As  the  roll  was  called  we  speculated  as  to  which  company 
they  might  be  assigned,  though  there  was  little  choice.  More 
than  half  of  them  were  under  assumed  names,  and  it  frequently 
happened  at  subsequent  roll-calls  that  some  of  them  were  imable 
to  remember  the  names  under  which  they  enlisted.  Among  the 
nationalities  represented  there  were  Frenchmen,  Italians,  Germans, 
Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Costa  Ricans,  Greeks,  Maltese,  and  Canadi 
ans  ;  a  deserter  from  the  "  Louisiana  Tigers,"  one  from  a  Georgia 
regiment,  and  one  from  an  Alabama  regiment.  The  Louisiana  Tiger 
had  previously  enlisted  in  Boston,  was  discharged,  reenlisted  in  the 
Rhode  Island  Cavalry,  next  in  the  Fifty-first  Massachusetts,  and 
was  now  in  the  Thirteenth  as  a  substitute.  His  subsequent  en 
listments  we  are  not  informed  about.  Two  of  the  number  had 
previously  served  in  the  Thirteenth,  from  which  they  had  been  dis 
charged,  and  having  reenlisted  as  substitutes  were  unexpectedly 
assigned  to  their  old  regiment. 

In  the  last  batch  that  were  told  off  there  were  six  whom  it  was 
deemed  unsafe  to  keep  together,  and  they  were  separated  by  placing 
them  in  different  companies.  Three  of  the  number  assigned  to 
Company  K  disappeared  at  once.  During  the  first  night  after  their 
arrival  forty  deserted. 


TllIRTEENTll    MASS.     VOLS,  265 

1863.  Of  the  one  hundred  and  eighty-six,  one  hundred  and 

fifteen  deserted. 

Of  those  remaining,  six  were  discharged  for  disability,  twenty- six 
were  transferred  to  the  navy,  and  one  was  killed  in  battle. 

A  number  of  the  men  taken  prisoners  at  Gettysburg, 
Saturday,      and  subsequently  paroled,  returned  to  the  regiment  to- 
August  15.   day,  their  parole  having  been  declared  null  and  void  by 
government  agents,  and  they  consequently  resumed  their 
duties  in  the  regiment. 

We  remained  in  camp  at  Rappahannock  Station  until  September 
1 6,  attending  to  the  usual  camp  duties,  such  as  drilling,  inspections, 
picket,  etc. 

During  our  stay  here  the  temperature  changed  so  markedly  as  to 
require  overcoats  at  night,  while  many  complained  of  sleeping  un 
comfortably  under  their  blanket.  Orders  were  received  to  raise  the 
beds  one  foot  from  the  ground,  while  the  "Surgeon's  call  "  presented 
a  daily  symposium  of  sick  men.  The  spot  where  we  were  encamped 
was  very  unhealthy. 

That  enterprising  assassin,  Mosby,  came  in  for  a  share  of  Gen 
eral  Lee's  attention,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  : 

HEADQUARTERS,  ORANGE,  August  18,  1863. 
GENERAL  STUART,  Commanding,  etc.  : 

GENERAL:  The  report  of  Major  Mosby,  of  fourth  instant,  relative  to  his 
expeditions  towards  Fairfax  Court-House  and  below,  has  been  forwarded  to  the 
War  Department.  I  greatly  commend  his  boldness  and  good  management,  which 
is  the  cause  of  his  success.  I  have  heard  that  he  has  now  with  him  a  large  num 
ber  of  men,  yet  his  expeditions  are  undertaken  with  very  few,  and  his  attention 
seems  more  directed  to  the  capture  of  sutler's  wagons,  etc.,  than  to  the  injury  of 
the  enemy's  communications  and  outposts.  The  capture  and  destruction  of 
wagon-trains  is  advantageous;  but  the  supply  of  the  Federal  army  is  carried  on 
by  the  railroad.  If  that  should  be  injured,  it  would  cause  him  to  detach  largely 
for  its  security,  and  thus  weaken  his  mam  army.  This  threat  of  punishing  citi 
zens  on  the  line  for  such  attacks  must  be  met  by  meeting  similar  treatment  to 
his  soldiers  when  captured. 

I  do  not  know  the  cause  for  undertaking  his  expeditions  with  so  few  men, — 
»  whether  it  is  from  policy  or  the  difficulty  of  collecting  them.     I   have  heard  of 
his   men  —  among  them  officers — being  in  the    rear    of  this  army,  selling  cap 
tured  goods,  sutler's  stores,   etc.     This  had  better  be  attended  to  by  others.     It 


266  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  has  also  been  reported  to  me  that  many  deserters  from  this  army 

have  joined  him.  Among  them  have  been  seen  members  of  the 
Eighth  Virginia  Regiment.  If  this  is  true,  1  am  sure  it  must  be  without  the 
knowledge  of  Major  Mosby;  but  I  desire  you  to  call  his  attention  to  this  matter, 
to  prevent  his  being  imposed  on. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

Our  old  friend  Boteler,  whom  we  captured  in  the  summer  of  1861, 
and  who  we  thought  was  not  particularly  interested  in  a  prosecution 
of  the  war,  seems  to  have  acquired  considerable  sanguinary  ani 
mosity  after  his  release  by  General  Banks,  at  Sharpsburg,  August, 
1 86 1,  according  to  the  following  letter: 

HEADQUARTERS  CAVALRY  DIVISION, 

August  19,  1863. 
HON.  JAMES  A.  SEDDEN,  Secretary  of  War  : 

SIR  :  In  a  conversation  with  Major  Mosby,  the  partisan  leader,  I  suggested  to 
him  the  use  of  Rains'  percussion  torpedoes  on  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Rail 
road.  He  cordially  approved  of  the  suggestion,  and  requested  me  to  write  to 
you  for  a  supply  of  the  explosives  in  question.  If,  therefore,  you  concur  with 
us  in  thinking  that  much  damage  may  be  done  to  the  enemy  by  means  of  these 
bombs  placed  beneath  the  rails  of  that  particular  road,  which  is  used  exclusively 
for  the  transportation  of  troops  and  army  supplies,  you  will  confer  a  favor  upon 
Major  Mosby  by  ordering  him  to  be  supplied  with  them  immediately. 

A.    R.   BOTELER. 

P.S.  —  General  Stuart  suggests  that  some  one  acquainted  with  the  use  of  the  tor 
pedoes  be  sent  up  with  them,  as  they  are  dangerous  things  in  unskilful  hands. 

This  method  of  exit  might  be  called  going  to  heaven  —  cross-roads. 

In  accordance  with  the  following  communication  five  deserters 
were  shot : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

August  27,  1863. 
His  EXCELLENCY  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  President  of  the  United  States : 

Walter,  Rionese,  Folancy,  Lai,  and  Kuhn  were  to  have  been  executed  yester 
day.  Their  execution  was  postponed  by  my  order  till  Saturday,  the  2gth,  that 
time  might  be  given  to  procure  the  services  of  a  Roman  Catholic  priest  to  assist 
them  in  preparing  for  death.  They  are  substitute  conscripts  who  enlisted  for  the 
purpose  of  deserting  after  receiving  the  bounty;  and  being  the  first  of  this  class 
whose  cases  came  before  me,  I  believed  that  humanity,  the  safety  of  this  army, 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  267 

1863.  and  the  most  vital  interests  of  the  country  required  their  prompt 

execution  as  an  example,  the  publicity  given  to  which  might,  and,  I 
trust  in  God  will,  deter  others  from  imitating  their  bad  conduct.  In  view  of  these 
circumstances,  I  shall,  therefore,  inform  them  their  appeal  to  you  is  denied. 

GEORGE  G.   MEADE, 
Major-  General  Commanding. 

If  they  enlisted  for  the  purpose  of  deserting,  then  it  was  their 
vocation.  As  Falstaff  said,  "  'Tis  no  sin  for  a  man  to  labor  in  his 
vocation."  The  execution  of  these  men  didn't  deter  our  festive 
cutthroats  from  leaving  as  soon  as  opportunity  offered. 

In  an  order  received  from  brigade  headquarters  to-day  occurs  the 
following  paragraph  : 

II.  A  looseness  and  carelessness  has  been  observed  by  guards  and  senti 
nels.  Officers  on  duty  are  particularly  required  to  correct  every  departure  from 
the  Regulations.  Sentinels  will  not  be  allowed  to  sit,  read,  or  talk  on  their  posts, 
or  bring  their  pieces  to  an  order;  but  will  habitually  walk  their  posts,  always 
vigilant,  strictly  observing  and  enforcing  orders.  At  "  retreat  "  the  Officer  of  the 
Guard  will  parade  and  inspect  his  guard. 

We  did  observe  a  "  looseness  and  carelessness,"  as  the  brigade 
commander  says,  though  it  was  in  brigade  orders,  of  which  the 
paragraph  just  quoted  is  a  sample. 

An  order  dated  Sept.  n,  1863,  was  received  from  Washington, 
that 

After  the  expiration  of  ninety  days  (June  25),  volunteers  serving  in  three  years' 
organizations,  who  may  reenlist  for  three  years,  or  the  war,  in  companies  or 
regiments  to  which  they  now  belong,  and  who  may  have,  at  the  date  of  reenlist- 
ment,  less  than  one  year  to  serve,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  aforesaid  bounty  and 
premium  of  $402,  to  be  paid  in  the  manner  herein  provided  for  other  troops 
reentering  the  service." 

On  the  1 3th  of  September  we  received  the  following  order: 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

September  12,  1863. 
Commanding  Officer  First  Corps  : 

I  am  instructed  to  inform  you  that  a  movement  —  reconnaissance  —  will  be 
made  to-morrow  in  the  direction  of  Culpeper  Court  House,  and  the  commanding 
general  orders  that  you  hold  your  command  in  readiness  to  move  at  short  notice, 
in  case  the  development  of  the  movement  should  be  required. 
Very  respectfully,  etc., 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 


268  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  Subsequently  the    Second    Corps   was  substituted  for 

the   First,  which  caused  General  Newton  to  feel  that  a 

reflection  was  cast  on  his  corps,  and  it  prompted  him  to  address  a 

letter  to  that  effect  to  General  Meade,  and  the  following  reply  was 

received  : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

September  14,  1863. 
MAJ.-GEN.  JOHN  NEWTON,   Commanding  First  Corps: 

GENERAL:  Your  communication  of  the  I3th  instant,  in  reference  to  the  detail 
of  the  Second  Corps  to  support  the  cavalry  reconnoissance  sent  in  front  of  the 
army  yesterday,  has  been  laid  before  the  commanding  general,  who  regrets  to 
learn  that  the  detail  has  occasioned  a  feeling  of  disappointment  among  the  officers 
and  men  of  your  corps. 

The  considerations  which  led  the  commanding  general  to  select  the  Second 
Corps  for  this  service  were  chiefly  that  the  First  Corps  formed  part  of  a  line  the 
continuity  of  which  the  general  did  not  wish  to  break,  as  he  could  not  foresee  the 
consequences  which  might  flow  from  an  advance,  and  he  was  by  no  means  certain 
that  the  reconnoitring  party,  together  with  its  support,  might  not  be  driven  back 
upon  that  line,  and,  moreover,  he  had  in  view  the  fact  that  the  requiring  on  its  part 
unusual  watchfulness,  and  far  more  exhausting  duties  than  had  been  performed  by 
the  corps  in  rear.  The  commanding  general  trusts  that  this  explanation  will 
satisfy  you  that  in  assigning  the  Second  Corps  to  the  duty  above  indicated  no 
distrust  was  entertained  of  the  qualification  of  the  First  Corps  to  perform  the  ser 
vice  equally  well. 

I  am  directed  to  add  that,  while  the  commanding  general  has  given  in  this 
instance  his  reasons  for  issuing  a  particular  order,  he  does  not  admit  the  right  of 
any  subordinate  commander  to  call  in  question  his  acts,  and  he  regrets  that  you 
should  have  thought  it  proper  to  do  so. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 

The  soundness  of  the  last  paragraph  just  saved  the  apology  from 
being  a  success. 

The  following  letter  from  Jeff.  Davis  to  General  Lee  is  in 
teresting  : 

RICHMOND,  VA.,  Aug.  n,  1863. 
GEN.  R.  E.   LEE,    Commanding  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  : 

Yours  of  the  8th  instant  has  been  received.  I  am  glad  you  concur  so  entirely 
with  me  as  to  the  want  of  our  country  in  this  trying  hour,  and  am  happy  to  add 
that  after  the  first  depression  consequent  upon  our  disaster  in  the  West,  indications 
have  appeared  that  our  people  will  exhibit  that  fortitude  which  we  agree  in  be 
lieving  is  alone  needful  to  secure  ultimate  success. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  20)9 

1863.  It  well  became  Sidney  Johnston,  when  overwhelmed  by  a  sense 

less  clamor,  to  admit  the  rule  that  success  is  the  test  of  merit;  and 
yet  there  has  been  nothing  which  I  have  found  to  require  a  greater  effort  of 
patience  than  to  bear  the  criticisms  of  the  ignorant,  who  pronounce  everything  a 
failure  which  does  not  equal  their  expectations  or  desires,  and  can  see  no  good 
result  which  is  not  in  the  line  of  their  own  imaginings.  I  admit  the  propriety  of 
your  conclusions,  that  one  officer  who  loses  the  confidence  of  his  troops  should 
have  his  position  changed,  whatever  may  be  his  ability,  but  when  I  read  the 
sentence  I  was  not  at  all  prepared  for  the  application  you  were  about  to  make. 
Expressions  of  discontent  in  the  public  journals  furnish  but  little  evidence  of  the 
sentiment  of  an  army.  I  wish  it  were  otherwise,  even  though  all  the  abuse  of  my 
self  should  be  accepted  as  the  results  of  honest  observation.  I  say  I  wish  I  could 
feel  that  the  public  journals  were  not  generally  partisan  nor  venal. 

Were  you  capable  of  stooping  to  it,  you  could  easily  surround  yourself  with 
those  who  would  fill  the  press  with  your  laudations,  and  seek  to  exalt  you  for 
what  you  had  not  done,  rather  than  detract  from  the  achievements  which  will 
make  you  and  your  army  the  subject  of  history  and  object  of  the  world's  admi 
ration  for  generations  to  corne. 

I  am  truly  sorry  to  know  that  you  still  feel  the  effects  of  the  illness  you  suf 
fered  last  spring,  and  can  readily  understand  the  embarrassments  you  experience 
in  using  the  eyes  of  others,  having  been  so  much  accustomed  to  make  your  own 
reconnoissance.  Practice  will,  however,  do  much  to  relieve  that  embarrassment, 
and  the  minute  knowledge  of  the  country  which  you  have  acquired  will  render 
you  less  dependent  for  topographical  information. 

But  suppose,  my  dear  friend,  that  I  were  to  admit,  with  all  their  implications, 
the  points  which  you  present,  where  am  I  to  find  that  new  commander  who  is  to 
possess  the  greater  ability  which  you  believe  to  be  required?  I  do  not  doubt  the 
readiness  with  which  you  would  give  way  to  one  who  could  accomplish  all  that 
you  have  wished,  and  you  will  do  me  the  justice  to  believe  that  if  Providence 
should  kindly  offer  such  a  person  for  our  use,  I  would  not  hesitate  to  avail  of  his 
services. 

My  sight  is  not  sufficiently  penetrating  to  discover  such  hidden  merit,  if  it  exists, 
and  I  have  but  used  to  you  the  language  of  sober  earnestness  when  I  have  im 
pressed  upon  you  the  propriety  of  avoiding  all  unnecessary  exposure  to  danger, 
because  I  felt  our  country  could  not  bear  to  lose  you.  To  ask  me  to  substitute 
you  by  some  one  in  my  judgment  more  fit  to  command,  or  who  would  possess  more 
of  the  confidence  of  the  army,  or  of  the  reflecting  men  of  the  country,  is  to  de 
mand  an  impossibility. 

It  only  remains  for  me  to  hope  that  you  will  take  all  possible  care  of  yourself, 
that  your  health  and  strength  may  be  entirely  restored,  and  that  the  Lord  will  pre 
serve  you  for  the  important  duties  devolved  upon  you  in  the  struggle  of  our  suf 
fering  country  for  the  independence  which  we  have  engaged  in  war  to  maintain. 
As  ever,  very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


270  T1IEEE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  General  Lee's  letter  is  not  to  be  found ;  but  it  is  evi 

dent  on  reading  the  foregoing  that  his  mind  was  very 
much  disturbed  at  unfriendly  criticisms  on  the  result  of  his  Gettys 
burg  campaign ;  so  much  so  as  to  prompt  his  resignation. 

A  general  alarm  was  sounded  at  3  A.M.,  whereupon 

Wednesday,  we  crossed  the  Rappahannock  River,  and  marched  by 

Sept.  16.       way  of  Brandy  Station   and   Stevensburg  to   Mountain 

Creek,  at  the  foot  of  Pony  Mountain,  near  Culpeper,  a 

distance  of  twelve  miles. 

An  order  was  received  to-day  that  "  until  further  orders,  five  days' 
bread  and  small  rations,  including  salt,  will  be  carried  by  troops  in 
their  knapsacks,  in  addition  to  the  subsistence  stores  they  are  re 
quired  under  existing  instructions  to  take  in  their  haversacks." 
How  the  mules  must  have  grinned  at  that  order  ! 

At  i  P.M.  we  started  with  eight  days'  rations,  and 
Thursday,  marched  round  Pony  Mountain  to  Racoon  Ford,  a  dis- 
Sept.  24.  tance  of  five  miles,  and  camped  on  ground  vacated  by 

the  Twelfth  Corps. 
The  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps  were  sent,  to  Tennessee. 

An   order   was    received   to-day   that   "  until    further 
Friday,          orders  conscripts,  substitutes,  or  other  new  troops  will 
Sept.  25.        not  be  detailed  for  picket  duty,  and  will  not  be  con 
sidered  on  the  roster  for  such. 

"  While  in  camp  they  must  be  drilled  at  least  four  hours  daily, 
and  otherwise  instructed  in  their  duties." 

To  our  mind  this  was  a  wise  order.  As  one  of  the  boys  pithily 
remarked  when  these  recruits  arrived  from  Boston,  "  If  those  fellows 
are  trusted  on  picket  the  army  will  soon  be  in  h — 1." 

On  the  ayth  we  moved  our  camp  about  three  miles 
Tuesday,  up  the  river,  and  to-day  we  moved  another  mile  in  the 
Sept.  29.  direction  of  Mitchell's  Station. 

The  river  at  this  point  was  only  fifteen  yards  wide,  and 
the  rebel  pickets  on  the  other  side  were  so  near  that  we  could  easily 
discern  each  other's  features.  The  position  of  their  camp  is  supe 
rior  to  ours,  inasmuch  as  it  is  on  high  ground,  while  ours  is  situated 
on  a  level  plain.  Their  camp  is  near  enough  to  ours  to  hear  the 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  271 

1863.  sound  of  a  band   which   frequently  played,   as  though 

serenading  some  officer.  They  still  had  money  enough 
for  bands.  A  hand-organ  would  have  satisfied  us  —  that  is,  if  it 
was  a  good  one. 

The  division  was  turned  out  to-day  to  see  a  soldier 
Friday,         shot  for  desertion,  or  sleeping  on  his  post  —  we  cannot 
October  2.     recall  which.     It  made  no  difference  to  him  which  it 
was. 

The  men  were  busy  at  work  building  huts,  hoping  that 
our  present  location  might  be  continued  through  the  winter. 

A  contraband  by  the  name  of  George  Washington  joined  the  regi 
ment  to-day,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  an  officer's  servant.  We 
were  glad  to  see  George  Washington,  though  he  was  much  darker 
than  his  pictures  represent  him  to  be,  and  had  black,  curly  hair. 

We  were  on  good  terms  with  the  enemy's  pickets,  who  swapped 
lies  with  us  daily. 

In  an  order  received  this  day  from  brigade  head- 
Friday,  quarters  it  was  stated  that  "  it  has  been  observed  that 
October  9.  in  most  of  the  regiments  of  this  brigade  there  is  a  defi 
ciency  of  axes,  axe-slings,  hatchets,  spades,  etc.,  and, 
as  a  consequence,  the  men  suffer.  Every  company  should  have  a 
proper  proportion  of  these  articles,  besides  those  required  by  the 
pioneers."  As  we  recollect,  there  was  more  suffering  from  a  surplus 
of  these  articles  than  by  reason  of  a  deficiency.  At  least  it  was  so 
when  we  were  marching. 

Were  in  line  shortly  after  i   A.M.,  and  marched  at  3 

Saturday,      o'clock  to  a  point  on  the  Rapidan,  about  a  mile  from 

October  10.   Racoon  Ford,  a  distance  of  five  miles,  though  we  did  not 

reach  that  spot  until  2   P.M.,  owing  to  frequent  delays. 

A  cavalry  reconnoisance  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  enemy  were 

making  a  flank  movement,  so  we  moved  to  the  rear  and  camped 

near  Stevensburg  about  1 1  P.M. 

We  were  turned  out  at  3  A.M.  to  march,  but  were  de- 
Sunday,        layed  until  9  o'clock  by  the  passing  of  other  divisions, 
October  u.  after  which  we  pointed  our  noses  in  a  northerly  direc 
tion,  crossing  the  Rappahannock  at  Kelly's  Ford,  which 


272  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  we  waded  about  3  P.M.,  the  water  being  up  to  our  waists. 

We  then  camped  on.  the  heights,  within  sound  of  the 
cavalry  fighting  at  Stevensburg.     The  march  was  ten  miles. 

The  Thirteenth  and  another  regiment  moved  down 
Monday,  the  river  a  short  distance,  occupying  rifle-pits  during  the 
October  12.  day.  The  boys  didn't  fail  to  get  in  their  chaff  on  "  Old 

Bowels." 
We  marched  at  midnight. 

Having  started  at  midnight,  last  night,  we  marched  all 
Tuesday, 

October  i*    c^ay'  Passul§  through  Warrenton  Junction,  Catlett's,  and 
other  familiar  places,  until  we  reached  Bristow  Station,  at 
9  P.M.,  after  a  tramp  of  thirty  miles.     Walking  is  good  exercise  for 
people   of  sedentary  habits,  which,  of  course,  did  not  include  us. 
The  government  hadn't  got  on  to  this  idea  in  October,  1863. 
Fighting  was  heard  all  day  on  our  left  flank. 

We  were  halted  at  Warrenton  Junction,  forming  in  line  of  battle 
on  our  camp-ground  of  April,  1862,  long  enough  to  allow  the  wagon 
train  to  get  ahead. 

Started  early  and  marched  as  "  flankers  "  for  the  corps, 

y>  reaching  Centreville  about  noon.     Distance  ten  miles. 
October  14. 

Looking  back  from  the  heights  at  Centreville  we  could 

see  the  smoke  and  hear  the  sound  of  heavy  firing,  as  though  some 
hard  fighting  was  going  on  in  the  vicinity  of  Bristow  Station. 

Soon  after  our  arrival  we  were  moved  out  on  the  Warrenton  pike, 
and  deployed  as  skirmishers  in  advance  of  the  brigade,  and  then 
moved  on  to  the  Stone  bridge  over  Bull  Run,  where  we  were  thrown 
out  as  pickets.  No  fires  or  lights  of  any  kind  allowed. 

Moved  back  across  Cub  Run  to  a  hill  near  Centreville, 
Thursday,     where  we  remained  until  the  ipth. 
October  15.        The   fighting   that    we   heard    yesterday    was    by    the 

Second  Corps,  which  was  engaged  with  the   enemy  at 
Gainesville,  and  which  it  repulsed. 

Marched  at  8  A.M.  to  Hay  Market,  which  place  we 
Monday,  reached,  after  several  slight  skirmishes,  in  the  afternoon ; 
October  19.  distance  twelve  miles.  On  our  way  we  crossed  the 

battlefield  where  we  fought  August  30,   1862. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  273 

1863.  Since  our  last  visit  to  Hay  Market  the  entire  town, 

with  the  exception  of  a.  church,  had  been  burnt  by  order 
of  General  Stahl,  it  is  said,  as  a  punishment  to  the  inhabitants  for 
firing  on  Union  troops. 

As  we  were  going  into  camp  General  Stuart  made  a  dash  on  to 
our  picket  line,  capturing  some  pickets,  besides  killing  two  or  three. 
In  consequence  thereof  we  were  kept  under  arms  all  night. 

About  4  P.M.  we  marched  through  Thoroughfare  Gap, 
Tuesday,  going  into  camp  about  midnight  on  the  hills  on  the  west 
October  20.  side  of  the  mountain.  It  was  about  eighteen  months  since 

we  first  landed  at  Thoroughfare  Gap.  Those  of  us  who 
still  preserved  a  fondness  for  beautiful  scenery  had  an  opportunity 
of  gratifying  it  to-day.  In  addition  to  the  natural  beauties  of  the 
spot,  it  was  as  fine  an  agricultural  section  as  one  could  wish  to  see. 

At  7  A.M.  we  retraced  our  steps  through  the  Gap  to 
Saturday,  Hay  Market,  then  south  to  Gainesville,  fording  Broad 
October  24.  Run,  and  on  to  Bristow  Station,  camping  on  the  recent 

battlefield ;  making  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles.  The 
march,  by  reason  of  the  rain  and  muddy  condition  of  the  roads, 
was  a  wearying  one. 

All  this  marching  and  countermarching,  forming  lines  of  battle 
and  skirmishing,  was  to  prevent  Lee's  attempt  to  turn  the  right  flank 
of  our  army  and  interpose  himself  between  us  and  our  base  of  sup 
plies,  with  the  possibility  of  an  attack  on  Washington,  or  transfer 
ring  the  next  battle-ground  from  Virginia  to  the  States  north  of  the 
Potomac. 

We  were  now  camped  on  the  farm  of  General  Ewell,  of  the  rebel 
army.  The  whole  estate  was  in  ruins ;  houses  destroyed,  orchards 
cut  down,  and  every  fence-rail  burnt.  Twelve  days  ago  his  own 
army  camped  on  this  spot,  and  probably  his  men  burnt  the  rails,  as 
our  army  was  not  allowed  to  touch  rails. 

Moved  camp  a  mile  or  so  to  the  westward  into  a  pine 
Saturday,  grove,  near  Kettle  Run,  which  we  found  a  much  more 
October  31.  agreeable  spot.  Nights  were  getting  cold  enough  for  a 

furnace  fire,  but  we  believe  furnaces  were  not  allowed 
in  the  army. 


274  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

1863.  MARCHED   at  4  P.M.  to  Catlett's  Station,  ten  miles, 

Thursday,     an(j  bivouacked.     We  had  seen  so  much  of  these  places, 

we  wished  General  Meade  would  hasten  on  to  Richmond, 

where  we  could  spend  the  winter  among  the  "  sassiety  " 

of  that  city.     When  we  were  in  this  vicinity  in  the  spring  of  1862, 

it  was  "On  to  Gordonsville,"  but  now  it  was  different. 

"  Learn  to  labor  and  to  wait," 

says  Longfellow;  but  that  was  written  "  befo'  de  war." 

Changed  camp  to  high  ground  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Friday,  station. 

Nov.  6.  Last  week,  while  at  Bristow  Station,  an  old  friend  of 

the  regiment,  a  commissary  of  subsistence,  made  his 
appearance  in  our  camp,  and  before  his  departure  agreed  to  sell  to 
the  officers  a  barrel  of  whiskey,  which  was  purchased  by  subscription. 
Of  course  it  was  to  be  used  for  medicinal  purposes  only,  that  is, 
when  the  men  were  liable  to  become  unfitted  for  duty  by  unusual 
fatigue  or  exposure  during  bad  weather.  Now,  it  so  happened  that 
the  camp  was  excessively  dusty,  making  the  cobwebs  in  the  throat 
impenetrable,  and  this  whiskey  was  the  only  thing  that  would  remove 
the  obstructions.  When  it  came  to  pass  that  the  possession  of  this 
whiskey  was  known  among  the  men,  we  pestered  the  lives  nearly  out 
of  the  officers  with  requests  for  this  very  effective  medicine,  with 
more  or  less  success  according  to  the  disposition  of  the  officer. 
When  exposure  seemed  a  frail  and  unsubstantial  reason,  we  in 
vented  one.  If  this  narrative  of  ours  should  by  chance  be  read 
by  one  of  our  temperance  friends,  he  will  hold  up  his  hands  in 
horror,  possibly,  at  this  statement.  We  can  only  say,  in  excuse, 
that  we  were  too  young  to  appreciate  what  a  terrible  enemy  we  were 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  275 

1863.  fooling  with.     As  soon  as  our  service  ended,  having  no 

further  need  of  stimulants,  we  —  But  never  mind  what 
has  happened  since,  we  are  relating  only  what  occurred  while  we 
were  in  the  service. 

The  Sixteenth  Maine  boys  had  another  streak  of  hard  luck  to-day. 
As  they  went  into  camp  behind  us,  in  the  tall  grass,  it  took  fire,  and 
before  you  could  count  ten,  was  all  ablaze,  leaving  nothing  behind 
but  piles  of  blackened  knapsacks,  clothing,  and  equipments. 

Reveille  at  4  A.M.  Started  on  the  march  at  eight 
Saturday,  o'clock.  The  whole  army  in  motion,  the  First,  Sec- 
Nov.  7.  ond,  and  Third  Corps  taking  roads  leading  to  Kelly's 
Ford,  and  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  advancing  on  Rappahan- 
nock  Station.  The  Third  Corps  had  the  lead,  and  became  engaged 
at  the  ford  at  the  same  time  the  Sixth  was  fighting  at  the  station. 

We  halted  at  Morrisville,  about  three  miles  from  the  river.  The 
woods  being  on  fire,  the  air  was  full  of  smoke  and  cinders,  making 
the  atmosphere  stifling. 

At  daylight  we  crossed  the  Rappahannock  River  at 
Sunday,        Kelly's  Ford,  and  marched  on  to  Brandy  Station.     We 
Nov.  8.          saw  nothing  about  the  place  that  suggested  so  alcoholic 
a  name. 

There  was  a  painful  lack  of  intelligence  on  the  part  of  the  com 
mander  of  the  First,  Second,  and  Third  Corps  to-day,  for  there 
seemed  to  be  no  reason  but  stupidity  in  the  way  of  our  capturing  a 
force  of  rebel  artillery  and  a  wagon-train. 

It  seems  that  when  the  enemy  was  discovered  a  detachment  was 
sent  out  on  a  flank  movement.  Before  it  was  completed  the  re 
mainder  of  our  troops,  which  included  the  Thirteenth,  was  advanced 
out  of  the  woods  in  their  front,  thereby  disclosing  to  the  enemy  our 
approach,  and  he  immediately  withdrew  to  Culpeper. 

We  had  been  long  enough  in  the  service  to  understand  what  this 
simple  movement  meant,  and  took  a  good  deal  of  interest  in  its 
development.  It  was  exactly  the  movement  that  Stonewall  Jackson 
attempted  to  play  on  us  the  day  we  went  to  Newtown  from  Win 
chester,  March  13,  1862,  and  the  lessons  that  Jackson  taught  us  we 
were  not  likely  to  forget. 


276  TIIEEE    YEARS    IN    TUE    ARMY. 

1863.  If    the    honorable    major-general    commanding   this 

movement  had  been  standing  about  some  of  our  camp- 
fires  that  night  he  would  have  heard  a  pretty  free  discussion  of  his 
qualifications  as  a  major-general. 

Instead  of  pushing  on  to  Richmond  we  took  another 
Monday,  step  back.  At  4  P.M.  we  again  turned  our  faces  north- 
Nov.  9.  ward,  crossing  the  river  at  Rappahannock  Station,  through 
Bealton  to  Licking  Run,  in  a  snow-storm,  halting  at 
i  A.M.  not  far  from  Warrenton  Junction.  The  weather  was  cold, 
except  in  the  fire,  which  was  pretty  nearly  covered  by  coffee-dippers. 
We  got  to  bed  about  2  A.M.,  which  is  altogether  too  late  for  boys 
away  from  home. 

"  D — n  the  service  !  "  says  some  one,  the  other  side,  as  his  coffee 
upset,  very  nearly  putting  out  the  fire.  Then  a  chorus  of  "  Oh, 
h — 1 !  "  was  shouted. 

[CIRCULAR.]  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

Nov.  9,  1863,  12  M. 
The  following  movements  of  troops  are  ordered,  and  will  take  place  at  once : 

1.  The  Fifth  Corps,  Major-General  Sykes,  will  take  position  on  north  side  of 
Mountain  Run,  at  Paoli  Mills,  sending  a  division  to   Kelly's  Ford   to  guard  the 
bridges.     This  division  will  post  a  brigade  midway  between  Bealton  and  Morris- 
ville,  at  the  point  where  the  road  to  Kelly's  Ford  running  to  Carter's  house  leaves 
the  Morrisville  road.     The  division  will  picket  so  as  to  cover  fhe  supply  trains 
moving  by  that  route,  and  the  working  party  on  the  railroad. 

2.  The  Second  Corps,  Major-General  Warren,  will   take  post  between   Paoli 
Mills  and  Brandy  Station,  in  such  manner  as  to  have  good  communication  with 
the  corps  at  those  two  points. 

3.  The  Third  Corps,  Major-General  French,  will  remain  at  Brandy  Station. 

4.  The  Sixth   Corps,  Major-General   Sedgwick,  will  move  to  Welford's  Ford, 
on  Hazel  River.     The  division  of  this  corps  at  Kelly's  Ford  and  Rappahannock 
Station  will  rejoin  the  corps  upon  being  relieved. 

5.  The  First  Corps,  Major-General  Newton,  will  be  placed  as  follows  :     One 
division  at   Rappahannock  Station,  with  a  brigade  at  Beverly   Ford ;  the  three 
brigades  of  another  division  will  be :   One   at  Bealeton,  one  at  Liberty,  and  one 
near  the  railroad  crossing  Licking  Run.     These  two  divisions  will  picket  so  as  to 
cover  the  supply,  the  trains  passing  along  the  route  of  the  railroad,  and  the  work 
ing  parties  on  the  road. 

The  division  of  the  First  Corps  now  guarding  the  railroad  from  Manassas  to 
Warrenton  Junction  will  remain  as  now  posted.  The  protection  of  the  railroad 
is  assigned  to  Major-General  Newton. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  277 

1363.  6.     The  Artillery  Reserve  will  be  in  the  vicinity  of  Rappahan- 

nock  Station. 

7.  One  brigade  of  Gregg's  division  of  cavalry  will  take  post  at  Morrisville,  and 
will  picket  toward  HarUvood  Church  and  the  crossings  of  the  lower  Rappahan- 
nock.     The  other  brigade  will  take  post  at  Fayetteville,  and  picket  toward  Water 
loo  and  beyond  Warrenton.      Kilpatrick's  division  of  cavalry  will  take  post  at 
Stevensburg  and  picket  toward  the  crossings  on  the  Rapidan  below  the  railroad 
crossing.     Buford's  division  of  cavalry  will  be  posted  at  Culpeper  Court  House, 
and  will  picket  toward  the  crossings  of  Robertson's  River  and  toward  the  right. 

8.  Headquarters  will  be  in  the  vicinity  of  Brandy  Station. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

Our  corps  was  now  strung  along  the  railroad  from 
Tuesday,  Manassas  to  Rappahannock  Station,  a  distance  of  twenty- 
Nov.  10.  five  miles. 

Details  were  made  daily  to  work  on  the  railroad, 
which  was  being  rebuilt  as  rapidly  as  possible.  This  work,  with 
picket  duty,  completely  occupied  our  time. 

The  ground  about  us  had  been  so  often  used  as  a  parking-place 
for  wagon-trains,  artillery,  and  cavalry,  that  it  had  become  strewn 
with  oats  and  corn,  scattered  by  the  horses  and  mules.  After  their 
departure,  it  was  taken  possession  of  by  quail,  partridge,  and  other 
birds,  as  a  feeding-ground,  so  that  upon  our  arrival  we  found 
an  abundance  of  game.  As  we  were  not  allowed  to  fire  our  guns, 
except  at  the  enemy,  we  were  forced  to  substitute  clubs,  stones,  etc., 
in  order  to  supply  our  larder.  Broiled  partridge  and  an  occasional 
noggin  of  "commissary"  smoothed  off  the  ragged  edge  of  our  ser 
vice  a  good  deal. 

If  it  hadn't  been  for  guerillas  that  infested  the  neighborhood,  we 
might  have  had  a  peaceful  time,  as  the  enemy  in  front  of  the  picket 
line  were  less  demonstrative  than  usual. 

At  daylight  we  pulled  up  stakes  and  marched  six 
Monday,  miles,  and  went  into  camp  on  the  east  side  of  the  rail- 
Nov.  23.  road,  at  the  forty-ninth  mile-post  from  Alexandria,  and 
two  miles  from  Rappahannock  Station.  We  had  been 
near  this  spot  so  many  times  we  had  lost  the  count.  Whichever 
direction  we  took  in  a  campaign  we  generally  brought  up  at  Rappa 
hannock  Station. 


278  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  This  was  a  great  day.     The  sutler  arrived  with  a  large 

Wednesday,  amount  of  gOO(jSj  which  we  purchased  for  the  morrow. 

25-        ^g  ke  was  ^g  oniv  sutier  about,  there  was  a  great  rush 

from  other  regiments  to  take  advantage  of  his  presence. 
Among  others  were  members  of  the  Sixteenth  Maine  ;  and  as  some 
of  them  added  to  their  already  overflowing  cup  of  misfortunes,  by 
losing  their  watches  and  pocket-books,  they  promptly  accused  us  of 
stealing  them.  Well,  we  must  allow  there  was  reason  for  this  accu 
sation,  for  it  couldn't  be  rubbed  out  that  we  had  as  fine  a  band  of 
thievish  recruits  as  could  be  found  anywhere,  and  they  just  doted  on 
the  Sixteenth's  men,  whose  good  old  honest  State  of  Maine  ways  held 
no  chance  against  their  deft  skill  as  pickpockets.  Now,  we  had  a  very 
simple  way  of  dealing  with  these  Hessians  that  our  much-beloved 
State  sent  out  to  mingle  in  companionship  with  us  and  teach  us  how 
to  overcome  honesty,  and  that  was  to  put  all  our  diamonds,  watches, 
pocket-books,  and  silverware  in  the  safe,  while  all  movables,  such 
as  dippers,  hardtack,  etc.,  we  chained.  Whenever  we  laid  a  knife 
down  we  put  a  guard  over  it  with  a  loaded  musket.  With  these  pre 
cautions  we  managed  to  hang  on  to  most  of  our  things  until  these 
dear  comrades  of  ours  stole  away  to  reenlist  in  some  other  regi 
ment,  or  to  crack  a  bank. 

Thanksgiving  day  !  We  had  laid  out  for  a  good  time 
Thursday,  and  a  good  dinner ;  such  a  kind  of  a  dinner  as  our  skill 
Nov.  26.  and  ingenuity,  aided  by  the  sutler's  store,  could  prepare  ; 

but  the  exigences  of  the  service  required  us  to  move,  so 
at  daylight  we  marched,  crossing  the  Rappahannock  River  as  the 
sun  rose  ;  thence  to  Mountain  Run,  which  we  crossed  on  a  pontoon 
bridge  about  9  A.M.  at  Paoli  Mills ;  thence  to  the  Rapidan  River, 
which  we  crossed  at  10  P.M.  at  the  Culpeper  Mine  Ford;  then 
climbed  the  heights  and  halted  for  the  night  about  four  miles  from 
Chancellorsville,  having  marched  seventeen  miles.  A  large  part  of 
the  regiment  was  then  sent  out  on  picket.  This  was  our  roast 
turkey  and  plum-pudding. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  279 

1863.  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

Friday,  November  27,  1863,  12.15  A.M. 

Nov.  27. 

[CIRCULAR.] 

The  following  movements  of  troops  are  ordered  for  to-day,  November  27 : 

1.  Second  Corps,  Major-General  Warren,  will  move  at  7  A.M.  along  the  turn 
pike  to  Old  Verdierville. 

2.  Third  Corps,   Major-General  French,  will  move  at  7  A.M.  on  the  Robert 
son's  Tavern  road,  and  close  on  the  Second  Corps. 

3.  Fifth  Corps,  Major-General  Sykes,  will  move  at  7A.M.  to  New  Verdierville. 

4.  First  Corps,  Major-General  Newton,  will  move  not  later  than  7  A.M.  on 
the  route  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  and  close  up  on  the  Fifth  Corps. 

5.  Sixth  Corps,   Major-General  Sedgwick,  will  move  as   soon    as   the   Third 
Corps  has  cleared  the  road,  and,  as  his  artillery,  etc.,  has  joined  him,  close  up  on 
the  Third  Corps.     One  division  of  the  Sixth  Corps  will  remain  near  the  river  until 
the  trains  have  crossed  at  Germanna  and  the  bridges  are  taken  up. 

6.  The  ammunition  trains,  ambulances,  etc.,  directed  to  remain  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  river,  will  cross  and  join  their  corps,  those  of  the  Second,  Third,  and 
Sixth  Corps,  at  Germanna;  those  of  the  Fifth  and  First  at  Culpeper  Ford. 

4.  Reserve  artillery  will  cross  at  Germanna,  follow  the  route  of  the  Second 
Corps,  and  halt  before  reaching  Robertson's  Tavern,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with 
the  march  of  the  Third  Corps. 

8.  The  chief  of  cavalry  will  direct  a  force  of  that  arm  to  move  in  advance  on 
the  roads  in  front  of  the  army. 

9.  The  trains,  under  the  direction  of  the  chief  quartermaster  of  the  army, 
will  cross  at  Culpeper  and  Ely's  Fords,  and  be  parked  in  rear  of  the  army.     They 
will  be  guarded  by  Merritt's  cavalry  division. 

9lo.  Commanders  of  leading  corps  will  keep  up  communication  with  each 
other  and  with  the  corps  in  their  rear;  those  of  the  rear  corps  with  the  corps  in 
front.  The  flank  next  the  enemy  will  be  carefully  watched,  and  the  usual  precau 
tions  against  approach  will  be  taken.  The  commanding  general  will  be  kept 
advised  of  everything  that  occurs. 

10.  Headauarters  will  be  at  Robertson's  Tavern. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 

In  obedience  to  the  foregoing  order  we  were  turned  out  at  4  A.M., 
and  by  5  o'clock  were  on  our  way  over  the  plank-road  leading  to 
Fredericksburg,  and  a  crooked,  hilly  road  it  turned  out  to  be.  After 
following  this  road  for  a  few  miles  we  turned  from  it,  taking  a  cart- 
path  through  the  woods  to  Robertson's  Tavern,  and  thence  to  the 


280  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  Orange  Court  House  pike,  which  we  reached  about  10.30 

P.M.  and  halted  for  the  night. 

The  regiment  was  shortly  after  sent  out  on  picket,  having  first 
received  instructions  from  General  Robinson  to  be  cautious  about 
firing,  as  the  Fifth  Corps  was  somewhere  in  front,  and  the  Second 
Corps  on  our  left.  There  was  excellent  reason  for  this  precaution,  as 
the  country  was  full  of  guerillas.  In  the  order  of  march  to-day  the 
Fifth  Corps  had  the  lead,  and  between  it  and  our  corps  was  a  small 
wagon-train,  a  part  of  which  was  led  off  from  the  road  into  the 
woods  by  a  band  of  guerillas  in  Federal  uniform.  The  drivers  were 
murdered,  the  mules  led  away,  and  the  wagons  burned  before  we 
had  time  to  realize  what  was  being  done.  A  daring  thing  like  this 
could  not  have  succeeded  except  through  the  protection  afforded 
by  the  uniforms.  It  caused  some  delay  in  our  march,  and  was 
likely  to  make  the  men  on  picket  feel  somewhat  nervous ;  hence 
the  caution  about  firing. 

The  natural  repugnance  we  had  to  being  hanged  made  us  dread 
being  caught  by  Mosby. 

The  distance  marched  was  twenty  miles. 

When  the  announcement  was  made  that  we  were  going  to  Rob 
ertson's  Tavern,  it  filled  our  minds  with  visions  of  "flowing  bowls," 
which  landlords  fill  until  they  run  over,  according  to  the  song.  We 
thought  what  we  might  do  on  arriving  there  if  we  were  major-gen 
erals,  but  we  were  not.  However,  we  couldn't  resist  picturing  what 
this  tavern  might  be,  and  so  we  amused  ourselves  by  discussing 
the  probabilities  of  broad  open  fireplaces  and  hot  flip  until  some 
one  called  out  "  Shut  up  !  There's  Robertson's  Tavern  !  "  and  it 
turned  out  to  be  the  most  ordinary-looking  tenement-house,  without 
the  remotest  suggestion  of  comfort  or  hospitality  associated  with  the 
time-honored  name  of  tavern. 

The  following  occurrence  taken  from  a  letter  written  by  comrade 
Rollins  shows  so  clearly  the  vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life  that  we 
gladly  give  it  place  in  our  narrative,  particularly  as  the  detail  was 
composed  of  men  from  the  Thirteenth,  and  was  made  soon  after  our 
halt  to-night : 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  281 

1863.  We  were  tired,  of  course,  but  soldiers  are  never  so  tired  hut  they 

must  build  fires  and  cook  their  coffee.  Fuel  was  plentiful,  and  the 
fires  burned  up  brightly  and  lighted  the  recesses  of  the  deep  woods,  and  called  out 
the  chirps  of  the  katydids  and  all  kinds  of  insects  in  the  foliage  and  tree-tops;  a 
feeling  of  comfort  crept  over  us  as  we  sipped  our  coffee  and  looked  forward  to  a 
good  night's  rest  snugly  in  our  blankets.  I  was  counting  on  this  myself,  when  the 
adjutant  of  the  regiment  approached  me  and  delivered  his  message :  "  Lieutenant 

K ,  you  are  detailed  to  take  command  of  a  detail  of  twenty-five  men  of  this 

regiment,  and  you  will  report  to  General  Robinson  at  4  o'clock  to-morrow  morn 
ing  for  instructions."  My  pleasant  frame  of  mind  suddenly  vanished,  as  I  sub- 
duedly  inquired,  "Where  shall  I  find  General  Robinson?"  while  at  the  same 
time  surmises  of  the  nature  of  the  duty  required  were  floating  through  my  mind, 
and  I  barely  recollected  the  adjutant  pointing  to  a  fire  a  little  way  distant  where  I 
could  see  some  men  putting  up  a  small  tent  for  the  general's  use.  The  most 
probable  duty  I  could  think  of  to  be  required  was  to  be  that  of  advanced  skir 
mishers;  but  then  it  was  too  small  a  detail  for  such  duty.  Then  came  the  thought 
of  guarding  wagons,  or  something  of  that  sort,  but  there  were  no  wagons  with  us, 
and  I  was  forced  to  give  up  my  fruitless  conjectures.  Still  my  mind  would  con 
stantly  revert  to  it,  and  the  suspense  I  knew  would  prevent  my  full  enjoyment  of 
sleep.  I  could  hear  the  adjutant  as  he  visited  the  bivouac  fires  of  each  company, 
going  through  with  his  stereotyped  order  to  the  first  sergeant  as  follows :  "  You 
will  make  a  detail  of  two  men,"  or  "  three,"  as  the  case  might  be,  "  to  report 

to  Lieutenant  R ,  ready  to  march  at  4  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.     I  also 

heard  responses  from  the  men,  sometimes  half  a  do/en  together,  which  pleased  me 
more.  They  were  like  this:  "Put  my  name  down;" — "I'll  go,"  etc.  I  had 
not  been  commissioned  many  months,  but  I  had  acquired  a  reputation  —  whether 
deservedly  or  not  it  does  not  become  me  to  say  —  that  led  the  men  whenever  I 
was  to  take  charge  of  a  picket  or  skirmish  line  to  volunteer  to  go  with  me. 
Of  this  I  candidly  say  I  was  proud,  and  am  to  this  day.  I  slept  fitfully 
during  the  night,  and  at  the  hour  ordered  marched  my  men  to  the  gen 
eral's  tent,  when  his  adjutant-general  appeared,  and,  taking  me  a  little 
aside,  gave  me  a  large  sealed  envelope,  saying  it  was  directed  to  General 
Sykes,  and  that  I  was  to  deliver  it  to  him.  While  he  was  telling  me  this,  General 
Robinson,  probably  overhearing  him  through  the  thin  cloth  of  the  tent,  put  his 
head  out  of  the  opening  and  called  me  to  him.  Then  he  went  on  to  give  me  mi 
nute  directions  as  follows:  That  I  should  retrace  the  cart-path  by  which  we 
had  come  into  these  woods  until  I  came  to  the  plank-road;  then  turn  to  the  right, 
and  follow  the  plank-road  toward  Orange  Court  House  until  I  met  General  Sykes 
with  his  division,  and  to  personally  deliver  this  package  to  him.  Then  he  ex 
plained  his  reasons  for  sending  the  despatch  in  this  manner.  He  said  he  had 
only  two  or  three  mounted  orderlies  with  him,  whom  he  could  not  spare,  and  that 
the  woods  were  infested  with  guerillas,  who  might  attack  a  mounted  messenger, 
but  would  hardly  dare  attack  my  detail.  That  I  must  look  out  for  a  surprise,  and 
not  allow  any  party  to  approach  me,  even  if  clad  in  our  uniform,  as  almost  all  the 


282  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  guerillas  were  so  clothed.  That  after  I  had  delivered  the  document 

I  should  fall  in  with  General  Sykes'  troops,  and  rejoin  my  regiment 
when  I  could  find  it.  He  again  cautioned  me  about  delivering  the  message  only 
to  General  Sykes,  and  bade  me  good-morning. 

Soon  after  getting  on  the  march  as  directed,  a  light  rain  commenced  to  fall,  and 
by  the  time  the  plank-road  was  reached  it  was  daylight.  The  road  was  only  a  plank- 
road  in  name;  it  probably  was  once  a  plank-road.  We  marched  on  and  on,  with 
no  signs  of  any  troops  approaching.  I  began  to  think  my  orders,  if  carried  out 
to  the  letter,  would  take  us  into  the  heart  of  the  Confederacy,  and  that  General 
Robinson  might  have  been  misinformed  as  to  General  Sykes'  route.  I  looked  at 
my  watch,  and  it  was  half-past  seven.  Still  I  kept  on.  At  last,  away  down  a 
straight  stretch  of  the  road,  I  could  see  something  coming.  I  did  not  know 
whether  it  was  friend  or  foe,  but  immediately  marched  my  men  into  a  clump  of 
bushes  and  small  trees  by  the  roadside,  and  halted.  The  men  threw  themselves  on 
the  ground  to  rest,  while  I  kept  a  look-out  for  what  was  approaching.  I  could 
only  make  out  a  small  body  of  mounted  men,  ten  or  fifteen  in  number;  but  as 
they  came  nearer  I  could  discern  that  a  body  of  infantry  was  some  distance  behind 
them,  and  came  at  once  to  the  conclusion,  which  afterwards  I  found  correct,  that 
that  it  was  General  Sykes  and  his  staff  some  distance  in  front  of  the  head  of  the 
column  of  infantry.  When  they  had  approached  within  thirty  or  forty  rods,  I 
called  my  men  to  attention,  and  formed  a  line  on  the  side  of  the  road  awaiting 
them.  Much  to  our  amusement,  when  they  discovered  us,  General  Sykes  and  his 
staff  reined  up  their  horses  very  suddenly,  and  acted  as  though  they  were  in  doubt 
whether  to  remain  where  they  were  or  return  to  the  head  of  the  column  of  troops 
coming.  They  probably  feared  that  we  were  rebel  guerillas.  They  did  not  go 
back,  however,  but  waited  until  the  column  came  up,  and  then  came  along  with 
the  troops. 

Knowing  General  Sykes,  I  gave  the  order  to  "present  arms !  "  and  stepped  out 
into  the  road  with  the  papers  in  my  left  hand,  and,  saluting  with  my  sword,  said, 
"  General  Sykes,  I  have  despatches  for  you."  He  returned  the  salute,  and  I 
brought  my  men  to  "  shoulder  arms  !  "  and  handed  him  the  envelope.  Meantime, 
the  column  behind  was  halted.  He  read  the  papers  very  carefully;  and  then, 
turning  to  me,  said :  "  You  must  have  had  quite  a  tramp  with  your  men.  You 
had  better  fall  into  any  opening  in  the  line  between  regiments  and  keep  along 
with  us.  You  may  not  see  your  regiment  for  several  days."  I  let  several  regi 
ments  pass,  and  finally  fell  into  an  opening  in  the  line.  We  were  tired,  wet,  and 
muddy  from  marching,  and  were  objects  of  much  curiosity  to  the  "  Regulars  " 
comprising  Sykes'  division;  the  officers  would  come  alongside  of  me  to  inquire 
where  we  were  from.  I  had  now  to  begin  to  favor  my  men,  as  they  were  becom 
ing  tired  out.  So  I  would  drop  out  of  an  opening  and  let  five  or  six  regiments 
pass,  and  then  file  into  another  gap.  This  kept  on  till  we  got  to  the  last  regiment 
in  the  line.  About  this  time  we  came  up  to  a  wagon  park  on  a  hill,  when  I  filed 
out  of  the  road  and  halted  near  fires  built  by  teamsters,  and  we  rested  and  cooked 
our  coffee.  It  was  past  noon,  and  we  learned  from  the  wagoners  that  a  line  of 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  283 

1863.  battle  was  in  front  about  a  mile  in  a  piece  of  woods  skirting  a  stream 

called  Mine  Run.  We  had  got  back  to  a  point  about  three  miles 
west  of  the  one  we  had  left  in  the  morning.  After  a  good  rest  we  left  the  wagon 
park  and  marched  forward  to  the  line  of  battle,  striking  troops  of  the  Sixth  Corps. 
After  a  deal  of  searching  and  marching  we  found  where  our  regiment  had  been ; 
but  they  were  then  on  the  skirmish  line.  We  awaited  their  return,  which  occurred 
the  next  morning  at  daylight. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  CORPS, 

November  28,  1863. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HUMPHREYS,   Chief  of  Staff,  Antty  of  the  Potomac  : 

The  pickets  I  ordered  advanced  on  my  left  report  they  cannot  cross  on  account 
of  the  depth  of  mud  and  water.  They  also  report  a  constant  movement  of  the 
enemy  toward  our  left. 

Very  respectfully, 

JOHN   NEWTON, 

Major-  General. 

The  following  extract  from  Swinton's  "  Campaigns  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  "  will  be  of  interest  in  showing  the  purposes  of  the 
campaign  : 

Judging  from  the  experience  of  such  military  operations  as  had  been  attempted 
during  the  previous  years  at  the  season  now  reached,  it  might  have  been  inferred 
that  the  army  could  do  nothing  better  than  go  into  winter  quarters  and  await  the 
coming  spring  before  entering  upon  a  new  campaign.  But  General  Meade  felt 
that  the  condition  of  the  public  mind  would  hardly  brook  delay;  and  being  him 
self  very  eager  for  action,  he  anxiously  watched  a  favorable  opportunity  to  deliver 
battle.  Such  an  opportunity  he  thought  he  saw  towards  the  end  of  November; 
and  he  then  planned  an  operation  known  as  the  "  Mine  Run  move"  —  an  opera 
tion  which  deserved  better  success  than  it  met. 

It  was  learned  that  Lee,  while  resting  the  right  of  his  army  on  the  Rapidan 
near  Morton's  Ford,  had  left  the  lower  fords  of  the  river  at  Ely's,  Culpeper  Mine, 
Germanna,  and  Jacob's  Mills  uncovered,  and  depended  upon  the  defence  of  that 
flank  upon  a  line  of  intrenchments  which  he  had  constructed  perpendicular  to  the 
river  and  extending  along  the  left  bank  of  a  small  tributary  of  the  Rapidan  named 
Mine  Run,  which  flows  almost  at  right  angles  with  the  former  stream,  and  empties 
into  it  at  Morton's  Ford.  Relying  for  the  security  of  his  right  upon  that  line, 
Lee  had  placed  his  force  in  cantonments  covering  a  wide  extent  of  country;  so 
that  while  Ewell's  corps  held  position  from  Morton's  Ford  to  Orange  Court  House, 
Hill's  corps  was  distributed  from  that  point  along  the  railroad  to  near  Charlotles- 
ville,  with  an  interval  of  several  miles  between  the  two  corps. 

This  wide  separation  of  his  opponent's  forces  gave  Meade  the  hope  that  by 
crossing  the  Rapidan  at  the  lower  fords,  turning  the  Confederate  right,  and 
advancing  quickly  towards  Orange  Court  House  by  the  plank  and  turnpike  roads 


284  THREE    YE AllS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  that  connect  that  place  with  Fredericksburg,  he  might  he  able  to 

interpose  between  the  two  hostile  bodies  under  Ewell  and  Hill, 
and  destroy  them  in  detail. 

This  plan,  different  from  the  kind  of  operations  ordinarily  attempted  in  Vir 
ginia,  was  well  suited  to  the  circumstances.  It  was  based  upon  a  precise  mathe 
matical  calculation  of  the  elements  of  time  and  space,  of  the  kind  for  which 
Napoleon  was  so  famous,  and  depended  absolutely  for  its  success  on  a  vigorous 
execution  of  all  the  foreordained  movements  in  the  foreordained  time  and  way. 
Thus  planning,  Meade  attempted  the  bold  coup  d'essaye  of  cutting  entirely  loose 
from  his  base  of  supplies,  and  providing  his  troops  with  ten  days'  rations,  he  left 
his  trains  on  the  north  side  of  the  Rapidan,  relying  on  the  meditated  success  to 
open  up  new  lines  of  communication. 

The  movement  was  begun  at  dawn  of  the  26th  of  November,  and  the  order  of 
march  was  as  follows :  The  Fifth  Corps,  followed  by  the  First  Corps,  was  to  cross 
the  Rapidan  at  Culpeper  Mine  Ford  and  proceed  to  Parker's  Store,  on  the 
plank-road  to  Orange  Court  House.  The  Second  Corps  was  to  cross  at  Germanna 
Ford  and  proceed  out  on  the  turnpike  (which  runs  parallel  with  the  plank  road) 
to  Robertson's  Tavern.  To  this  point  also  the  Third  Corps,  crossing  at  Jacob's 
Mill  Ford,  and  followed  by  the  Sixth  Corps,  was  to  march  by  other  routes,  and  then 
make  a  junction  with  the  Second  Corps.  With  the  left  thus  at  Parker's  Store  and  the 
right  at  Robertson's  Tavern,  the  army  would  be  in  close  communication  on  parallel 
roads,  and  by  advancing  westward  towards  Orange  Court  House  would  turn  the 
line  of  the  Mine  Run  defences,  which  it  was  known  did  not  extend  as  far  south 
as  to  cross  the  turnpike  and  plank-roads.  As  the  distance  of  the  several  corps 
from  their  encampments  to  the  assigned  points  of  concentration  was  under  twenty 
miles,  General  Meade  reasonably  assumed  that  marching  early  on  the  26th, 
each  corps  commander  would  be  able  to  make  the  march  inside  of  thirty-four 
hours,  or,  at  most,  by  noon  of  the  27th.  It  remains  to  relate  how  this  well- 
devised  and  meritorious  plan  was  balked  by  circumstances  that,  though  seem 
ingly  trivial  to  those  uninstructed  in  war,  are  yet  the  very  elements  that  in  a  large 
degree  assure  success  or  entail  failure. 

The  first  of  these  delays  was  occasioned  by  the  tardiness  of  movement  of  the 
Third  Corps,  under  General  French,  which,  having  a  less  distance  to  march  than 
the  other  corps,  yet  did  not  reach  its  assigned  point  for  the  crossing  of  the  Rapi 
dan  until  three  hours  after  the  other  corps  had  arrived.  This  caused  a  delay  to 
the  whole  army,  for,  not  knowing  what  he  should  encounter  on  the  other  side, 
General  Meade  was  unwilling  to  allow  the  other  corps  to  cross  until  the  Third 
was  up.  A  second  obstacle  was  the  result  of  an  unpardonable  blunder  on  the 
part  of  the  engineers  in  estimating  the  width  of  the  Rapidan,  so  that  the  pontoon 
bridges  it  was  designed  to  throw  across  that  stream  were  too  short,  and  trestle- 
work  and  temporary  means  had  to  be  provided  to  increase  their  length.  In 
addition,  another  cause  of  delay  resulted  from  the  very  precipitous  banks  of  the 
Rapidan,  which  rendered  the  passage  of  the  artillery  and  trains  tedious  and  diffi 
cult.  The  effect  of  these  several  circumstances  was  that  the  army,  instead  of 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  285 

1863.  making  the  passage  of  the  river  early  in  the  day,  was  not  across 

until  the  following  morning.     Twenty-five   hours   had  passed,   and 
only  half  the    distance  was  made. 

The  Third  Corps,  under  General  French,  fell  into  a  series  of  luckless  mishaps, 
by  which  it  happened  that  soon  after  crossing  the  Rapidan  at  Jacob's  Mills  he 
took  the  wrong  road  to  reach  Robertson's  Tavern,  falling  upon  a  route  too  much 
to  the  right,  which  brought  it  against  Johnson's  division  of  Kwell's  corps.  With 
this  force  it  had  a  brisk  brush,  and  by  the  time  it  could  extricate  itself,  get  on  the 
right  road,  and  open  communications  with  Robertson's  Tavern,  it  was  night. 

Moved  at  5  A.M.,  through  the  woods  to  a  clearing, 
Saturday,  where  the  rebel  infantry  was  found  in  force.  The  corps 
Nov.  28.  was  then  formed  in  line  of  battle,  with  skirmishers 

thrown  out  in  advance. 

Mine  Run  was  just  at  the  foot  of  the  other  side  of  the  hill  from 
where  we  were  now  stationed.  Our  skirmishers  having  driven  the 
enemy  across  the  creek,  they  opened  on  us  with  artillery  at  long 
range,  to  which  ours  replied,  when  we  were  hastily  put  in  a  position 
of  safety  before  any  of  our  brigade  was  hurt.  We  were  afterwards 
thrown  out  as  skirmishers.  The  concentration  of  our  army  at  this 
point  continued  all  day,  each  corps  taking  position  as  it  arrived. 

Lay  all  day  in  line  of  battle.  The  forenoon  was 
Sunday,  spent  in  making  preparations  for  an  attack,  which  would 
Nov.  29.  take  place  as  soon  as  the  Second  Corps,  under  Warren, 
located  some  distance  to  our  left,  should  open  the  ball. 
It  rained  hard  all  the  morning.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we  were  un 
officially  informed  that  during  the  approaching  night  an  advance 
was  to  be  made  across  the  flooded  meadow  in  our  front,  on  the 
banks  of  Mine  Run,  after  which  we  were  to  charge  the  heights  be 
yond,  now  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  and  upon  which  was  sta 
tioned  a  formidable  array  of  artillery.  To  carry  out  this  purpose  the 
corps  was  formed  in  four  lines  of  battle,  the  Thirteenth  being  among 
those  in  the  front  line.  We  knew  very  well  what  this  meant  if  un 
dertaken.  To  climb  those  heights  in  face  of  guns  that  could  sweep 
every  inch  of  ground  with  grape  and  canister  was  not  the  kind  of 
job  we  hankered  after,  particularly  in  the  darkness.  Some  of  the 
boys  left  their  valuables,  such  as  watches  and  money,  with  the  sur- 


286  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  geon,  to  be  sent  home  in  case  of  disaster.  Names  were 

then  written  on  slips  of  paper  and  pinned  on  the  coat 
or  cap  for  identification  of  bodies.  All  these  preparations  gave 
such  an  emphasis  to  the  affair,  that  when  night  came,  there  was  little 
sleep.  We  had  been  out  on  the  skirmish  line,  and  knew  too  well 
what  the  strength  of  the  enemy  was  to  doubt  the  result  of  such  a 
charge. 

Orders  were  given  that  no  word  should  be  spoken  above  a  whisper, 
and  we  were  particularly  cautioned  against  the  rattling  of  canteens. 
In  a  few  moments  orders  would  be  received  to  advance.  With  this 
unpleasant  anticipation,  the  hours  rolled  slowly  along  until  daylight, 
without  an  order  to  move.  If  there  ever  was  a  long  night,  this  was 
one.  We  learned  afterwards  that  it  was  not  the  intention  to  make  a 
charge  then,  though  one  was  intended  to  have  been  made  in  the 
morning. 

We  quote  once  more  from  the  "Campaigns  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac"  by  Swinton  : 

Early  on  Monday  morning  the  army  was  under  arms,  impatiently  awaiting  the 
signal-gun.  At  last  the  sound  of  Sedgwick's  cannon  came  rolling  along  the  line, 
when  the  entire  artillery  of  the  right  and  centre  opened  upon  the  works  of  the 
enemy.  But  not  an  echo  from  Warren  on  the  left !  The  explanation  of  this 
silence  soon  came  in  intelligence  brought  by  an  aide-de-camp.  A  close  observa 
tion  of  the  enemy's  position  by  dawn  revealed  a  very  different  state  of  facts  than 
was  presented  the  previous  evening.  The  presence  of  Warren's  troops  had 
attracted  Lee's  attention  to  his  right,  and  during  the  night  he  had  powerfully 
strengthened  that  flan-k  by  artillery  in  position,  and  by  infantry  behind  breast 
works  and  abattis.  Looking  at  the  position  with  the  critical  eye  of  an  engineer, 
but  not  without  those  lofty  inspirations  of  courage  that  o'erleap  the  cold  dictates 
of  mathematical  calculation,  Warren  saw  that  the  task  was  hopeless;  and  so 
seeing,  he  resolved  to  sacrifice  himself  rather  than  his  command.  He  assumed 
the  responsibility  of  suspending  the  attack. 

His  verdict  was  that  of  his  soldiers,  —  a  verdict  pronounced  not  in  spoken 
words,  but  in  a  circumstance  more  potent  than  words,  and  full  of  touching  pathos. 

The  time  has  not  been  seen  when  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  shrank  from  any 
call  of  duty;  but  an  unparalleled  experience  in  war,  joined  to  a  great  intelligence 
in  the  rank  and  file,  had  taught  these  men  what  by  heroic  courage  might  be 
done,  and  what  was  beyond  the  bounds  of  human  possibility.  Recognizing  that 
the  task  now  before  them  was  of  the  character  of  a  forlorn  hope,  knowing  well 
that  no  man  could  here  count  on  escaping  death,  the  soldiers,  without  sign  of 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  287 

1863.  shrinking  from  the  sacrifice,  were  seen  quietly  pinning  on  the  breast 

of  their   blouses  of  blue  slips  of  paper  on  which  each  had  written 
his  name. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  account  of  the  Mine  Run  cam 
paign  published  in  the  "  History  of  the  Civil  War  in  America,"  by 
the  Count  de  Paris  : 

The  demonstration  made  by  Warren  on  Mine  Run  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
29th,  which  cost  him  about  twenty  men,  has  of  course  attracted  Hill's  attention 
toward  his  extreme  right,  which  he  hastily  reenforced.  The  concentration  of  the 
Federal  forces  on  the  south  of  the  plank-road  could  the  less  escape  him  since 
Warren,  far  from  concealing  them,  has,  on  the  contrary,  applied  himself,  while 
placing  them  in  sight  of  the  enemy  and  lighting  large  fires,  to  making  them  ap 
pear  still  more  considerable  than  they  were  in  reality.  He  has  himself  stated  this 
fact,  without  explaining  the  reason  of  these  tactics,  which  are  incomprehensible 
on  the  eve  of  an  attack.  If  he  hoped  to  intimidate  the  enemy  he  was  greatly 
mistaken.  Hill,  well  warned,  brings  back  all  his  forces  on  the  south  of  the  plank- 
road,  thus  opposing  about  twenty  thousand  men  to  the  twenty-six  thousand  of  his 
adversary,  and  hastily  constructs  a  few  intrenchments.  A  small  stream  and  a 
space  of  about  six  hundred  yards  separate  the  combatants.  The  night  is  long 
and  cold. 

The  dawn,  impatiently  waited  for  on  both  sides,  at  length  makes  its  appear 
ance.  Meade's  manoeuvre  has  been  baffled.  The  Southern  army,  closed  in  mass 
behind  Mine  Run,  presents  everywhere  a  formidable  front;  the  intrenchments 
roughly  sketched  the  day  before  by  Hill  have  been  completed  during  the  night; 
the  artillery,  concealed  in  the  woods,  is  displayed  on  all  the  heights. 

The  Federals  study  with  attention,  then  with  uneasiness,  the  positions  which 
they  are  about  to  assault.  Almost  all  have  witnessed  Fredericksburg  and  Gettys 
burg;  they  know  by  a  double  experience  that  a  bloody  defeat  is  reserved  to  one 
of  the  two  armies  which  takes  the  offensive.  It  is  said  that  most  of  them  on  the 
morning  of  the  3Oth  took  care  to  pin  to  their  coats  pieces  of  paper  bearing  their 
names.  They  wished  that  their  names  might  be  placed  over  the  fresh  earth 
which  was  to  cover  them  in  their  everlasting  sleep.  No  hope  of  glory  was  occu 
pying  their  minds  at  that  supreme  hour,  but  they  were  anxious  to  secure  on  that 
distant  soil  the  modest  epitaph  which  allows  the  soldier's  family  to  distinguish  his 
remains,  instead  of  having  to  kneel  at  the  grave  of  the  unknown.  It  was  in  this 
manner,  it  is  related,  that  they  silently  showed  the  conviction  that  they  were  going 
to  be  asked  for  a  useless  sacrifice.  If  it  is  only  a  legend —  for  legends  are  some 
times  easily  made  —  it  is  worth  being  quoted,  for  it  perfectly  describes  the  char 
acter  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

A  few  minutes  more  and  it  will  be  8  o'clock ;  every  one  is  waiting  for  the 
signal;  faces  are  grave,  but  resolute.  Warren,  however,  has  been  still  more  struck 
than  his  soldiers  by  the  formidable  aspect  of  the  enemy's  positions;  those  which 


288  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  seemed  scarcely  defended  on  the  evening  of  the  preceding  day  are 

covered  with  artillery.  His  first  examination  had  perhaps  been  too 
superficial.  lie  ought  to  have  foreseen  that  by  parading  his  forces  on  the  evening 
of  the  agth,  and  leaving  to  his  adversaries  fourteen  hours'  respite,  he  was  inviting 
them -to  put  themselves  on  their  defence.  But  Warren  will  not  lose  time  in  useless 
regrets;  he  has  made  a  rapid  coup  d'ail  and  a  correct  judgment,  and  does  not 
shrink  from  responsibility.  His  decision  is  quickly  made;  the  attack  trusted  to 
his  care  cannot  succeed,  and  he  does  not  hesitate  to  postpone  it.  He  must  have 
great  moral  courage  to  take  this  step,  for  he  will  be  pardoned  more  easily,  he 
knows,  an  unfortunate  act  of  daring  than  the  most  justifiable  prudence.  The  fatal 
hour  has  come;  the  regiments  under  arms  receive  no  orders,  —  a  painful  waiting 
to  those  who  are  ready  to  march  to  death,  and  which  at  first  arouses  in  them  a 
feverish  impatience.  But  they  soon  divine  the  wise  hesitation  of  Warren;  they 
whisper  to  each  other  that  the  attack  is  abandoned,  and  every  one  immediately 
forgets  the  future  conflicts  and  the  present  sufferings  to  think  only  of  the  absent 
family,  and  of  home,  sweet  home. 

At  4  A.M.  we  were  turned  out,  and  shortly  after  a 
Monday,  movement  was  made,  but  not  as  anticipated  all  night 
Nov.  30.  long.  A  line  of  battle  was  formed  in  the  woods,  and 
an  advance  begun.  After  proceeding  a  short  distance 
an  order  was  received  to  "  Rig/if  flank,  march!"  and  the  regiment 
soon  emerged  into  an  open  field  and  massed  with  the  Fifth  Corps 
for  an  attack.  It  was  now  daylight.  The  rebel  batteries  began 
firing,  the  shot  flying  over  our  heads  and  making  havoc  with  the 
trees  to  our  right,  the  Union  batteries  replying.  A  halt  was  made 
behind  a  hill,  where  we  were  protected  from  artillery  fire.  Hope  be 
gan  to  gain  upon  us  that  the  foolhardy  attempt  of  charging  the  enemy 
was  to  be  abandoned,  which  was  indeed  the  fact.  We  subsequently 
learned  that  in  the  hollow  to  the  north  of  the  Orange  pike  were 
massed  twenty  thousand  men  about  daylight  for  some  purpose,  as  if 
anticipating  a  movement  such  as  we  were  expecting  to  make.  Time 
dragged  along,  and  no  movement  was  made.  We  were  all  tired  of 
the  inaction  and  the  heavy  strain  on  the  mind  from  hours  of  expec 
tation,  and  so  we  had  a  game  of  ball  to  pass  away  the  time.  Occa 
sionally  the  ball  would  be  batted  over  the  crest  of  the  hill  in  front, 
in  range  of  the  rebel  skirmishers,  necessitating  some  one  going 
after  it.  It  was  a  risky  piece  of  business  and  required  quick  work, 
but  it  was  got  every  time. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  289 

1863.  During  the  day  a  sheep  was  seen  running  along  out 

side  of  the  skirmish  line,  when  it  was  fired  upon  and 
wounded.  An  adventurous  member  of  Company  K  ran  out  for  it, 
but  a  Johnnie  on  the  rebel  skirmish  line  covered  him  with  his  gun, 
shouting,  "  Divide,  Yank  !  "  which  was  agreed  to.  The  sheep  was 
then  split  in  halves,  each  taking  his  portion,  returning  to  their  places 
amid  shouts  of  laughter  from  both  lines. 

When  night  came  we  built  large  fires  to  ward  off  the  bitter  cold, 

and  slept. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

November  30,  1863,  8.40  P.M. 

GENERAL  :    The  major-general  commanding  desires  to  have  your  opinion  upon 
the  practicability  of  carrying  the  enemy's  intrenchments,  so  far  as  they  are  known 
to  you  within  the  limits  of  the  front  of  your  command.     Please  reply  immediately. 
I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

S.   WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 
(To  commanders  of  First,  Third,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Army  Corps.) 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 

November  30,  1863,  9.05  P.M. 
BRK;.-GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS,  Assistant  Adjutant- Gener  at : 

In  reply  to  your  8.45  this  P.M.  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  since  dark  I 
have  not  been  able  to  obtain  the  information  that  I  desire  concerning  the  topog 
raphy  of  the  other  side  of  the  stream.  I  will  be  enabled  to  answer  your  note 
more  satisfactorily  on  receiving  from  division  commanders  the  information  already 

sent  for. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN   NEWTON, 

Major-  General. 
HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 

November  30,  1863,    u  P.M. 
BRIG. -GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS,  Assistant  Adjutant-General: 

GENERAL:  The  papers  enclosed  are  the  answers  of  my  division  commanders 
[only  Cutler's  can  be  found]  to  an  inquiry  as  to  the  nature  of  the  ground  in  their 
respective  fronts.  I  regard  any  attempt  to  storm  as  hopeless,  unless  the  troops 
can  be  massed  near  the  point  of  attack  without  the  knowledge  of  the  enemy,  and 
unless  strongly  supported  on  both  right  and  left.  The  works  of  the  enemy  in  my 
immediate  front  appear  to  be  heavy,  and  their  attention  seems  to  have  been 
drawn  to  the  possibility  of  an  attack  here. 

Very  respectfully,  etc., 

JOHN   NEWTON, 

Major-  General. 


290  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  [Enclosure.] 

LlEUT.-CoL.  C.  KIXGSBURY,  JR.,  Assistant  Adjutant- General,  First  Army  Corps: 
COLONEL  :  I  think  the  works  can  be  carried  at  or  near  the  first  angle  of  the 
pike  to  the  left,  provided  that  the  enemy  is  first  dislodged  from  the  pines  in  front 
of  the  works  by  an  attack  from  the  left.  This  is  the  only  practicable  way  I  see, 
and  that  at  a  great  sacrifice.  If  I  were  to  make  the  assault,  I  would  like  to  see 
the  officer  that  is  to  lead  on  my  left,  and  have  daylight  to  execute  it  in. 

Very  respectfully, 

L.    CUTLER, 
Brigadier-  General  Commanding  Division. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  ARMY  CORPS, 

November  30,  1863,  10.11  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HUMPHREYS,  Chief  of  Staff: 

As  to  carrying  the  line  in  my  front,  the  two  divisions  being  now  at  my  disposal, 
I  say  there  is  no  obstacle  to  success  except  those  incidental  to  military  enterprises. 

Very  respectfully, 

\VM.    H.    FRENCH, 

Major-  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

November  30,  1863,  9  P.M. 
BRIG.-GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS: 

GENERAL:  In  answer  to  your  question  of  this  evening,  I  do  not  think  it  prac 
ticable  to  successfully  carry  the  intrenchments  of  the  enemy  within  the  front  of 
my  command.  I  mean  the  front  on  either  side  of  the  old  turnpike  road  of  which 
I  spoke  to  you  yesterday. 

This  was  followed  by  a  second  despatch  at  1 1  P.M. : 

GENERAL  :  In  answer  to  your  question,  I  desire  to  say,  that,  so  far  as  could  be 
seen,  I  do  not  consider  it  impracticable  to  carry  the  front  threatened  by  us,  to-day, 
although  I  regard  the  chances  of  success  as  very  much  lessened,  both  because  the 
enemy  has  prepared  to-day  to  meet  the  threat  there  offered,  and  because  I  am 
almost  assured  that  he  knows  the  nature  of  the  attack  it  was  our  design  to  offer, 
and  has  prepared  to  resist  it. 

GEO.    SYKES, 

Major-  General. 

The  following  paragraphs  are  taken  from  General  Meade's  report 
of  the  Mine  Run  campaign  : 

On  the  3Oth  the  batteries  opened  at  8  A.M.  The  skirmishers  of  the  First  and 
Third  Corps  advanced  across  Mine  Run  and  drove  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  and 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  291 

1863.  every  preparation  was  made  by  Sedgwick  for  his  attack  (he  having 

moved  his  columns  during  the  night  and  massed  them  out  of  view 
of  the  enemy),  when  about  ten  minutes  of  9  I  received  a  despatch  from  General 
Warren  to  the  effect  that  "  the  position  and  strength  of  the  enemy  seem  so 
formidable  in  my  present  front  that  I  advise  against  making  the  attack  here  — 
the  full  light  of  the  sun  shows  me  that  I  cannot  succeed."  The  staff-officer  who 
brought  this  despatch  further  reported  that  General  Warren  had  suspended  his 
attack,  and  would  not  make  it  without  further  orders. 

As  Sedgwick's  attack  was  subsidiary  to  Warren's,  and  as,  owing  to  Warren's 
confidence  of  the  night  before,  I  had  given  him  so  large  a  part  of  the  army  that  1 
had  not  the  means  of  supporting  Sedgwick  in  case  of  repulse,  or  reenforcing  him 
in  the  event  of  success,  I  was  obliged  to  suspend  the  attack  of  Sedgwick  on  the 
enemy's  left,  which  I  did  just  in  time;  and  immmediately  proceeded  to  General 
Warren's  column,  some  four  miles  distant,  in  the  hope  of  arranging  some  plan  by 
which  the  two  attacks  might  yet  take  place  in  the  afternoon.  I  reached  General 
Warren  between  10  and  n  A.M.  and  found  his  views  were  unchangeable,  and 
that  it  was  his  decided  opinion  it  was  hopeless  to  make  any  attack. 

I  am  free  to  admit  that  the  movement  across  the  Rapidan  was  a  failure,  but  I 
respectfully  submit  that  the  causes  of  this  failure,  a  careful  perusal  of  the  fore 
going  report  will  show,  were  beyond  my  control.  I  maintain  my  plan  was  a 
feasible  one.  Had  the  columns  made  the  progress  I  anticipated  and  effected  a 
junction  on  the  night  of  the  a6th,  at  or  near  Robertson's  Tavern,  the  advance  the 
next  day  would  either  have  passed  the  formidable  position  of  Mine  Run  without 
opposition ;  or,  had  Ewell  attempted  to  check  the  movement,  he  would  have  been 
overwhelmed  before  reenforced  by  Hill. 

Prisoners  reported  that  Hill  did  not  come  up  till  the  afternoon  of  the  27th,  so 
that  if  the  movements  of  the  Third  Corps  had  been  prompt  and  vigorous  on  the 
ayth,  assisted  by  the  Sixth  and  Second,  there  was  every  reason  to  believe  Ewell 
could  have  been  overcome  before  the  arrival  of  Hill.  And  after  the  enemy, 
through  these  culpable  delays,  had  been  permitted  to  concentrate  on  Mine  Run, 
I  have  reason  to  believe  but  for  the  unfortunate  error  of  judgment  of  Major-Gen- 
eral  Warren,  my  original  plan  of  attack  on  these  columns  would  have  been  suc 
cessful,  or  at  least,  under  the  view  I  took  of  it,  would  certainly  have  been  tried. 

It  may  be  said  I  should  not  depend  on  the  judgment  of  others,  but  it  is  impos 
sible  a  commanding  general  can  reconnoitre  in  person  a  line  of  over  seven  miles 
in  extent,  and  act  on  his  own  judgment  as  to  the  expediency  of  attacking  or  not. 
Again,  it  may  be  said  that  the  effort  should  have  been  made  to  test  the  value  of 
my  judgment,  or  in  other  words,  that  I  should  encounter  what  I  believed  to  be 
certain  defeat,  so  as  to  prove  conclusively  that  victory  was  impossible. 

Considering  how  sacred  is  the  trust  of  the  lives  of  the  brave  men  under  my 
command,  but  willing  as  I  am  to  shed  their  blood  and  my  o\vn  when  duty  re 
quires,  and  my  judgment  dictates  that  the  sacrifice  will  not  be  in  vain,  I  cannot  be 
a  party  to  a  wanton  slaughter  of  my  troops  for  any  mere  personal  end. 


292  TIIllKE    YEA11S    IX    THE    A11MY. 

1863.  The  following  is  the  report  of  our  division  commander, 

Brig.-Gen.  John  C.  Robinson  : 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 

December  3,  1863. 

COLONEL  :  On  the  221!  of  November  this  division  was  posted  at  Bealeton, 
Liberty,  and  Licking  Run,  and  on  the  23(1  it  was  concentrated  near  Rappahan- 
nock  Station.  At  daylight  on  the  26th  it  started  on  the  march,  crossed  the  Rap- 
idan  at  Culpeper  Ford  after  dark,  and  biouvacked  until  3  o'clock  next  morning, 
when  the  march  was  resumed.  About  midnight  I  took  up  a  position  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  to  the  left  of  Robertson's  Tavern,  and  picketed  one  of  the  roads  lead 
ing  to  the  front. 

At  daylight  I  moved  the  division  about  one  mile  to  the  right,  and  formed  on  the 
left  of  the  First  Division  in  two  lines  with  a  reserve  of  four  regiments  and  a 
double  line  of  skirmishers.  In  this  order  the  division  advanced  to  the  line  after 
ward  occupied  by  the  army  in  front  of  the  enemy's  works  on  Mine  Run.  At  this 
time  there  were  no  troops  on  my  left,  but  the  Third.  Corps,  coming  into  position 
toward  night,  relieved  my  pickets  on  that  Hank.  The  enemy's  works  in  my  front 
appeared  to  be  strong,  and  between  us  was  a  mile  open  space  with  ravines, 
through  which  ran  two  streams  —  Mine  Run  and  one  of  its  branches.  On  the  3Oth 
I  was  directed  by  the  major-general  commanding  the  First  Corps  to  advance  my 
pickets  across  the  stream  in  front,  and  build  two  bridges  suitable  for  the  passage 
of  artillery  and  troops  in  column.  The  enemy's  pickets  occupied  the  crest  of  the 
hill  immediately  in  front,  and  it  became  necessary  to  dislodge  them.  This  was 
handsomely  clone  by  the  Ninety-fourth  Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  under 
Major  Moffett,  which  advanced  to  the  stream,  exposed  to  severe  musketry  fire, 
crossed  it,  and  charging  up  the  hill,  drove  away  the  rebel  pickets,  and  took  pos 
session  of  the  crest.  Working  parties  were  immediately  set  at  work,  who  by 
night  had  completed  two  bridges,  and  were  proceeding  to  build  others,  when  I 
received  orders  to  suspend  the  work,  and,  during  the  night,  to  withdraw  my  pickets 
to  the  position  they  occupied  in  the  morning.  The  only  casualties  in  the  division 
are  a  few  men  wounded. 

At  4  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  first  of  December,  the  division  was 
relieved  by  a  brigade  of  the  Third  Division,  Fifth  Corps,  and  marched  to  Ger- 
manna  Ford,  when  I  took  position  and  covered  the  crossing  of  the  Fifth  and 
Sixth  Corps,  and  the  picket  details  of  the  Third,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Corps.  The 
division  was  then  withdrawn,  with  the  exception  of  one  hundred  men,  who  re 
mained  until  the  bridges  were  taken  up,  and  then  came  over  in  boats.  About 
noon  on  the  2d  of  December  I  left  the  river,  and  bivouacked  near  Stevensburg. 
The  division  left  Stevensburg  this  morning,  and  is  now  encamped,  one  brigade 
at  Paoli  Mills  and  one  at  Kelly's  Ford. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JNO.  C.  ROBINSON, 
Brigadier-  General  Commanding  Division. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  293 

1863.  The  following  instructions  for  the  retirement  of  our 

Tuesday,       corps  are    taken   from   the  circular  issued  by    General 
Meade,  under  date  of  Dec.   i,   1863  : 

I.  The  First  Corps,  Major-General  Newton  commanding,  will  withdraw  from 
its  position  on  Mine  Run  (part  of  the  Fifth  Corps  relieving  it),  concealing  the 
movement  from  the  enemy,  and  march  at  4P.M.  to  Germanna  Ford,  where  it 
will  take  position  and  hold  the  crossing  of  the  river  until  the  Fifth  and  Sixth 
Corps  cross,  when  it  will  follow  those  two  corps  as  soon  as  the  road  on  the  oppo 
site  side  is  clear.  It  will  then  form  the  rear  guard,  and  use  every  precaution  to 
insure  the  safety  of  the  rear.  It  will  take  post  at  the  termination  of  the  plank- 
road,  covering  the  trains  on  the  Stevensburg  road,  and  watching  the  Mitchell's 
Ford  road. 

Shortly  before  daylight  we  moved  back  to  the  position  occupied 
by  us  on  the  night  of  November  27. 

At  dusk  our  division  began  its  march  back  to  the  Rapidan,  arriv 
ing  at  the  Germanna  Ford  about  daylight,  when  we  took  position  as 
directed  in  the  order  of  General  Meade. 

The  whole  army  crossed  the  river.  We  marched  to 
Wednesday,  Stevensburg,  ten  miles,  arriving  about  4  P.M.,  and  halted 
Dec.  2.  for  the  night. 

The  rest  of  the  army,  like  ourselves,  was  very  much 
dissatisfied  with  the  result  of  the  campaign.  Grumbling  was  heard 
on  all  sides.  As  usual  we  knew  little  about  the  position  of  troops, 
but  that  didn't  interfere  with  our  having  some  lively  discussion  as  to 
how  the  battle  ought  to  have  been  fought.  Arguments  were  illus 
trated  by  diagrams  drawn  in  the  ashes  of  smouldering  fires.  While 
this  was  going  on,  our  attention  was  attracted  to  a  group  of  substi 
tutes  who  were  demonstrating  how  easy  a  pocket  could  be  picked. 
These  fellows  made  no  bones  of  their  occupation,  and  they  were 
always  willing  to  teach  us  the  mysteries  of  their  profession,  that  we 
might  have  an  agreeable  and  genteel  occupation  when  we  reached 
home. 

Marched  to  a  point  near  Kelly's  Ford  on  the  Rappa- 

Thursday,     hannock  River,  where  we  took  possession  of  some  rebel 

Dec.  3.  huts,  built  for  winter  quarters,  and  where  we  remained 

until  the  24th,  attending  to  the  usual  duties  of  camp  life, 

watching  with  interest  the  steady  diminution  of  our  comrades,  the 


294  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  substitutes  and  bounty-jumpers,  who  returned  to  their 

native  heaths  to  ree'nlist  in  accordance  with  the  earnestly 
expressed  wish  of  the  government,  that  all  veterans  should  do  so. 

Complaint  was  made  by  General  Newton,  our  corps  commander, 
that  our  regiment  did  not  have  recitations  from  the  Army  Regula 
tions.  There  were  four  hundred  and  eighty-three  pages,  containing, 
in  all,  sixteen  hundred  and  seventy-six  regulations.  We  were  grateful 
to  our  officers  for  this  deviation  from  the  strict  line  of  their  duty. 
There  were  inflictions  enough  without  this  one.  The  busybody  that 
informed  General  Newton  of  this  neglect  deserved  to  be  choked,  we 
thought. 

Section  500  of  the  Army  Regulations  says  :  "The  sentinel  at  the 
colonel's  tent  has  orders  to  warn  him,  day  or  night,  of  any  unusual 
movement  in  or  about  camp."  The  most  unusual  thing  that  ever 
happened  in  camp  was  the  prompt  relief  of  the  camp  guard  on  duty 
at  3  A.M.  According  to  this  regulation,  therefore,  it  was  the  duty 
of  the  sentinel  after  such  an  occurrence  to  wake  the  colonel  and  let 
him  know  the  fact,  though  we  believe  it  was  never  done,  because  life 
was  sweet,  even  to  a  private  soldier.  Then  again,  the  ninth  article  of 
war  forbade  a  soldier  using  any  violence  to  his  superior  officer. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE, 
[CIRCULAR.]  SECOND  DIVISION  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 

Dec.  14,  1863. 

I.  As  one  of  the  aids  to  a  proper  attention  to   guard   duty  is  to  have  comfort 
able  guard   quarters,  the   commanding  officers  of  the  different  regiments  of  this 
brigade  will,  without  unnecessary  delay,  have  such  quarters  prepared. 

II.  As  the  moral  and  conscientious  soldiers   are  among  the  most  faithful  and 
devoted  to  the  service,  it  is  desirable  that  the  best  means  be  used  for  cultivating 
and  promoting  the  highest  moral  influence  amongst  the  troops.     It  is,  therefore, 
recommended  to  all  officers,  particularly  to  commanding  officers  of  regiments,  to 
extend  all  facilities  in  their  power  to  the  chaplains  in  the  performance  of  their 
high  and  sacred  duties.     Every  regiment  should  have  a  suitable  building  or  tent 
in  which  to  hold  their  religious  meetings.     Every  regiment  not  having  a  chaplain 
should  adopt  the  speediest  means  for  obtaining  one. 

III.  The  colonel  commanding  does  not   feel  himself  authorized  to  issue  any 
orders  on  the  duties  of  chaplains,  or   prescribing  any  form  for  religious  services, 
although  the  religious  orders  of  the  President,  repeated  by  several  commanders  of 
this  army,  might  warrant  it,  yet  he  would  most  earnestly  recommend  that  the 
commanders  of  regiments  require  their  chaplains,  or  in  their  absence,  some  suit- 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  295 

1863.  able  person,  to  have  a  short  and  appropriate  religious  service  on 

the  occasion  of  the  evening  dress  parade,  believing,  as  he  does,  that 
it  would  be  a  dutiful  recognition  of  that  Almighty  Power  that  has  preserved  us, 
blessed  our  nation  and  flag,  blessed  our  arms,  and  that  is  rapidly  leading  us  into 
a  long-looked  for  haven  of  peace  and  prosperity. 

By  command  of 

COL.  T.  F.  McCOV, 

Commanding  Brigade. 

The  reading  of  this  order  reminded  us  of  the  utter  darkness  into 
which  we  had  wandered  by  the  loss  of  our  spiritual  guide,  the  chap 
lain.  The  Bibles  which  we  had  discarded  in  the  streets  of  Phila 
delphia,  under  the  impression  that  the  presence  of  a  chaplain  would 
supply  their  place,  might  now  be  useful  in  regulating  our  conduct 
so  as  to  fulfil  the  enunciation  of  Colonel  McCoy,  that  "  moral  and 
conscientious  soldiers  are  among  the  most  faithful  and  devoted  to 
the  service."  We  were  certainly  among  the  breakers,  —  house 
breakers,  as  our  last  August  recruits  appeared  to  be,  — and  needed, 
if  ever,  the  services  of  a  chaplain,  or  a  jailer,  though  the  latter  was 
the  officer  we  felt  would  be  most  useful.  The  chaplain  left  us  about 
Fredericksburg  time  to  take  charge  of  a  hospital  in  Washington, 
and  we  are  free  to  say  that  we  missed  the  cheering  influence  of  his 
amiable  presence.  Surrounded  as  we  now  were  by  a  brawling  set 
of  recruits,  it  looked  like  a  travesty  to  remind  us  of  cultivating 
morals  in  soil  so  destitute  of  good.  There  were  some  things  we 
could  do  to  be  saved  without  the  aid  of  a  chaplain  :  we  could  pray, 
sing  a  psalm,  take  up  a  collection,  or  take  a  bath.  Most  of  us  chose 
the  latter,  for  its  proximity  to  godliness,  and  felt  purer  and  happier 

for  doing  so. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 
[CIRCULAR.]  Dec.  22,  1863. 

For  the  information  of  those  concerned,  the  following  facts  are  furnished  in 
regard  to  bounties  paid  by  the  different  States,  collected  from  the  Adjutant-Gen 
eral's  office : 

Massachusetts  pays  $325  cash,  or  $50  and  $20  per  month. 

New  York  pays  $75. 

New  York  City  pays  $300,  provided  the  men  were  enlisted  in  the  city,  provided 
the  men  were  originally  enrolled  there,  no  matter  whether  the  men  reenlisted  in 
the  city  or  army. 

Wisconsin  pays  $5  a  month  to  families  of  volunteers. 


296  THERE    YEARS    IN     THE    ARMY. 

1863.  Michigan,  $50  bounty;    also  township  and   county  bounties  are 

paid  in  some  localities,  varying  in  amounts. 
By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL   NEWTON. 

A  noticeable  change  had  taken  place  in  the  business  of  enlistment 
since  we  hung  round  No.  344  (old  number)  Washington  street,  pa 
tiently  waiting  to  learn  if  we  had  been  voted  in  and  accepted. 

Marched  about  8  o'clock  to  Brandy  Station  and  on  to 

Thursday,     Culpeper  Court  House  and  along  the  railroad  to  within 

Dec.  24.         a  mile  of  Mitchell's  Station.     Snow  on  the  ground  and 

cold.     No  rests  were  given  us.     The  distance  marched 

was  seventeen  miles. 

Christmas  day.     Had  to  break  ice  in  the  swamp  near 
Friday,         by  for  a  supply  of  water,  some  of  which  was  about  the 
Dec.  25.         color  of  whiskey.     The  pickets  of  the  enemy  could  be 
seen  on  the  opposite  side  of  Cedar  Run.     Merritt's  divi 
sion  of  cavalry  were  in  camp  near  us. 

About  3   P.M.  we  moved  our  camp  down  the  hill  to 
Saturday,      Mitchell's  Station  in  a  field  to  the  west  of  the   station. 
Dec.  26.        Our  camp  of  August  17  and   18,  1862,  was  less  than  a 
mile  away,  towards  Cedar  Mountain. 


GENERAL  ORDERS,  ") 

No.  56.  )      HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS,  Dec.  28,  1863. 

This  brigade  now  occupies  one  of  the  extreme  outposts  of  this  army.  It  is  a 
position  of  honor  as  well  as  clanger,  and  as  such  requires  much  more  than  the 
ordinary  degree  of  vigilance  and  faithfulness  on  the  part  of  officers  and  men. 

The  colonel  commanding  would,  therefore,  call  upon  all  to  manifest  their  appre 
ciation  of  the  important  service  devolving  upon  them  by  a  prompt  and  cheerful 
response  to  every  duty. 

In  view  of  an  additional  precaution  against  surprise,  when  firing  is  heard  on 
the  picket  line,  the  commanding  officers  of  regiments  will  at  once  have  their  com 
mands  under  arms,  without  waiting  for  any  orders  or  signals  from  these  head 
quarters. 

The  safety  of  the  camp  being  more  particularly  in  the  keeping  of  the  pickets 
and  guards,  the  necessity  of  intelligence,  vigilance,  and  promptitude  with  them 
are  of  the  most  essential  importance. 

The  colonel  commanding  the  brigade  deeply  regrets  the  necessity  for  the  late 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  297 

1863.  movement,  involving  so  much  inconvenience  and  suffering,  and  most 

heartily  s"mpathizes  with  the  troops  in  their  extraordinary  fatigues 
and  exposures.  Knowing,  however,  that  the  noble  and  righteous  cause  in  which 
we  are  engaged  is  worthy  of  and  demands  the  highest  services  and  the  greatest 
sacrifices,  he  feels  assured  that  the  brave  and  patriotic  officers  and  soldiers  of  this 
brigade  will,  with  renewed  determination,  if  necessary,  sustain  their  own  high 
name,  won  upon  so  many  battlefields,  and  the  honor  of  the  old  flag,  by  a  prompt 
and  willing  compliance  with  every  duty,  however  arduous,  the  exigency  may  require. 

By  command  of 

COL.   T.    F.   McCOY, 

Commanding  Brigade. 

We  had  an  opinion  about  this  Colonel  McCoy.     The  "  old  flag  " 
which  has  come  thundering  along  down  the  oratorical  highway  of 
the  last  thirty  years  probably  got  its  start  from  this  order. 
Tuesday  ^e  were  formed  in  line  of  battle  to  meet  an  advance 

Dec.  29.         of  the  enemy,  but  the  alarm  proved  to  be  a  false  one. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  )  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE, 

No.  58.  '  SECOND  DIVISION  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 

Dec.  30,  1863. 

For  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  soldiers  of  the  First  Brigade,  it  is  of  great  im 
portance  that  especial  attention  be  bestowed  in  the  construction  of  huts  and  the 
laying  out  of  grounds  for  convenience  and  beautifying.  For  the  purpose  of  en 
suring  uniformity  in  the  accomplishment  of  these  objects,  I  hereby,  with  the 
advice  of  the  medical  officers  of  the  First  Army  Corps,  direct  that  the  walls  of  the 
huts  shall  not  be  less  than  five  feet  high,  the  length  not  less  than  ten  feet,  and  the 
width  between  the  walls  not  less  than  six  feet  and  one  half,  the  roofs  being  cov 
ered  with  shelters  in  the  usual  manner.  The  doors  of  the  huts  shall  all  face  the 
street,  and  the  chimneys  should  not  be  erected  in  the  front. 

A  choice  may  be  exercised  by  the  regimental  commanders  whether  the  huts  be 
end  to  the  street  or  side  to  it,  though  there  should  be  uniformity  in  adopting  one 
mode  or  the  other. 

The  streets  should  not  be  less  than  twenty-five  feet  in  width,  and  the  space 
between  huts  in  the  rear  should  not  be  less  than  eight  feet.  The  streets  will  be 
graded  in  the  usual  manner.  The  draining  will  be  thorough. 

By  command  of 

COL.  T.   F.   McCOY, 

Commanding  Brigade. 


298  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1863.  Changed    camp   to  high  ground,  half  a  mile  to  the 

Thursday,  westward,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  build  huts  for  win 
ter  quarters.  Six  months  and  sixteen  days  more  before 
"Johnnie  comes  marching  home." 

During  the  month  of  January,  1864,  the  Confederate  Congress 
passed  resolutions  thanking  General  Lee  and  the  officers  and  soldiers 
under  his  command  for  the  great  and  signal  victories  they  had 
won,  and  the  service  they  had  rendered  in  defence  of  the  liberty 
and  independence  of  their  country.  Accompanying  the  resolutions 
was  the  following  general  order  : 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  5.  /  ADJT.  AND  INSP.  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

RICHMOND,  Jan.  13,  1864. 

I.  The  President  having  approved  the  following  joint  resolutions  of  Congress, 
directs  its  announcement  in  General  Orders,  expressive  of  his  gratification  at  the 
tribute  awarded  the  patriotic  officers  and  soldiers  to  whom  it  is  addressed.  For 
the  military  laggard,  or  him  who,  in  the  pursuits  of  selfish  and  inglorious  ease, 
forgets  his  country's  need,  no  note  of  approbation  is  sounded.  His  infamy  is  his 
only  security  from  oblivion.  But  the  heroic  devotion  of  those  who,  in  defence  of 
liberty  and  honor,  have  perilled  their  all,  while  it  confers,  in  an  approving  con 
science,  the  best  and  highest  award,  will  also  be  cherished  in  perpetual  remem 
brance  by  a  grateful  nation.  Let  this  assurance  stimulate  the  armies  of  the 
Confederacy  everywhere  to  greater  exertion  and  more  resolute  endurance,  till, 
under  the  guidance  of  Heaven,  the  blessings  of  peace  and  freedom  shall  finally 
crown  their  efforts.  Let  all  press  forward  in  the  road  to  independence,  and  for 
the  security  of  the  rights  sealed  to  us  in  the  blood  of  the  first  Revolution.  Honor 
and  glory  await  our  success.  Slavery  and  shame  will  attend  our  defeat ! 

As  a  specimen  of  turgid  eloquence  this  is  too  fine  to  remain 
buried  in  the  War  Records. 


MAF  N?  is 


TUlllTL'EXTll    MASS.     VOLS.  299 


CHAPTER  XV. 

1864.  WE  were  given  to-day  a  half- ration  of  whiskey.     With 

January  i.  tjie  thermometer  at  ten  below  zero  and  fifty  per  cent, 
reduction  in  the  quantity  of  whiskey,  there  was  indexed 
cause  for  anxiety.  The  substitutes  appealed  to  their  goddess  — 
"Helen  Blazes"  —  for  interference,  and  some  of  us  felt  like  joining 
in  the  chorus.  The  significance  of  reducing  the  allowance  of  whiskey 
on  the  first  day  of  the  year  was  very  striking,  and  suggested  that 
perhaps  the  annual  fever  of  reform  which  occurs  on  New  Year's 
day  had  attacked  the  government,  though  we  hoped  it  would  not  be 
more  lasting  than  it  usually  was  with  mankind.  The  life  of  a  com 
mon  soldier  is  such  an  irksome  grind,  that  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
that  he  welcomes  anything  that  will  put  a  polish  on  the  hard  surface 
of  his  daily  duties.  There  was  nothing  that  so  effectually  removed 
the  wrinkles  from  " grim-visaged  war"  as  a  noggin  of  old  rye, 
although  we  allow  that  its  absence  was  no  excuse  for  profanity.  Of  all 
men  who  served  in  the  army,  the  private  soldier  could  afford  the  least 
to  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  profanity,  as  will  be  se,en  by  the  following 
extract  from  the  "  Articles  of  War  :  " 

ARTICLE  3.  Any  non-commissioned  officer  or  soldier  who  shall  use  any  pro 
fane  oath  or  execration,  shall  incur  the  penalties  expressed  in  the  foregoing  article 
(one-sixth  of  a  dollar) ;  and  a  commissioned  officer  shall  forfeit  and  pay  for  each 
and  every  offence,  one  dollar,  to  be  applied  as  in  the  preceding  article. 

That  is,  applied  "  to  the  use  of  the  sick  soldiers  of  the  company  or  troop  to 
which  the  offender  belongs." 

According  to  the  "War  Records"  the  man  who  did  the  most 
swearing  was  the  distinguished  commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  but  perhaps  he  thought  he  could  afford  it ;  we  couldn't, 
even  at  the  low  price  fixed  for  the  rank  and  file.  If  General  Meade 
chipped  in  a  dollar  for  every  profane  word  he  uttered,  the  amount  of 


300  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  money  so  collected  would  have  supported  all  the  hospi 

tals  in  the  army,  unless  he  has  been  grievously  maligned. 
It  must  have  bothered  him  to  keep  the  count  unless  he  left  that  to 
his  private  secretary.  In  the  heat  of  battle,  or  when  stupid  soldiers 
tried  their  patience,  some  other  officers,  following  his  extravagant 
example,  believed  the  expletives  of  our  language  acquired  additional 
force  if  garnished  with  profanity,  and  we  fear  they  often  exceeded 
the  limit  allowed  even  by  the  army  in  Flanders.  But,  as  we  have 
already  said,  war  is  not  a  Sunday-school  picnic. 

Now  we  were  settled  in  winter  quarters,  we  had  plenty  of  time  to 
reflect  on  the  perils  through  which  we  had  passed,  and  the  fact  that 
thirty  months  of  our  three-years'  service  had  been  wound  off,  hoping 
our  luck  would  hold  out  until  July  16,  when  we  could,  with  honor, 
turn  our  backs  to  the  foe.  As  we  sat  on  picket,  watching  the  stars, 
our  minds  would  go  back  to  January  i,  1862,  when  we  were  quar 
tered  in  the  hospitable  town  of  Williamsport,  where  we  celebrated 
the  day  with  "  apple-jack,"  a  decoction  which  many  of  us  became 
acquainted  with  for  the  first  time,  and  which  discretion  suggested 
ought  to  be  the  last.  We  recollected  how  much  fun  we  had  seeing  the 
old  year  out  —  way  out.  There  were  singing  and  dancing,  darkies' 
praise-meetings,  and  entertainment  at  houses  where  the  hospitality 
was  supplemented  with  the  stirring  words  of  "  Maryland,  my  Mary 
land."  In  those  happy  days  we  were  a  thousand  strong,  but  now  a 
small  band  welded  into  veterans  by  the  perils  and  hardships  we 
had  encountered. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  2.  /     HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS,  January  2,  1864. 

As  an  additional  measure  of  precaution  for  defence,  and  to  guard  against  sur 
prise,  in  the  position  now  occupied  by  the  brigade,  there  will  be  one  regiment 
designated  daily  as  an  inlying  picket,  to  go  on  duty  at  the  hour  of  guard- 
mounting,  at  which  time,  by  the  same  calls,  it  will  assemble  on  its  regimental 
parade  ground,  under  its  own  officers,  have  roll-calls,  inspection,  and  stack  arms, 
its  commanding  officer  to  report  in  person  at  these  headquarters  immediately 
thereafter.  This  picket  will  always  be  in  readiness  to  fall  in  at  a  moment's  notice, 
to  march  to  any  point  that  may  be  threatened,  and  will  be  under  arms  at  daylight. 
The  officers  and  men  will,  therefore,  remain  in  camp  and  quarters,  with  their 
accoutrements  on,  and  if  deemed  necessary  by  the  brigade  commander,  patrols 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  301 

1864.  under  a  commissioned  officer  will  be  sent  out  at  proper  intervals, 

part  of  whose  duty  it  will  be  to  arrest  all  soldiers  found  beyond  a 
proper  distance  from  the  camp,  besides  any  suspicious  characters  that  may  be 
found  in  the  vicinity. 

That  this  duty  may  be  as  light  as  possible  upon  the  different  regiments,  the 
two  larger  regiments  (the  Sixteenth  Maine  and  Thirty-ninth  Massachusetts)  will 
be  divided,  five  companies  at  a  time  being  designated  for  this  duty.  It  will  be 
necessary  that  the  regiments  upon  this  duty  be  subject  to  the  usual  details.  They 
will  be  relieved  from  drill. 

By  command  of 

COL.  T.  F.  McCOY, 

Commanding  Brigade. 

Our  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Thirteenth  Massachusetts,  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fourth  New  York,  the  Sixteenth  Maine,  the  One 
Hundred  and  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Thirty-ninth  Massa 
chusetts,  was  now  encamped  for  the  winter  at  Mitchell's  Station,  on 
the  Orange  &  Alexandria  Railroad  ;  the  remainder  of  the  division 
being  stationed  near  Culpeper  and  Pony  Mountain.  We  remained 
in  this  camp  doing  outpost  duty  for  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  until 
April  26. 

As  soon  as  our  position  was  fixed  we  proceeded  to  make  ourselves 
comfortable  by  building  log  huts,  using  our  "  shelters  "  as  a  roof,  and 
a  very  comfortable  camp  we  made  of  it.  After  the  huts  were  com 
pleted  we  proceeded  to  build  corduroy  streets  in  and  about  the 
camp,  that  we  might  get  about  when  the  ground  was  softened  by 
thaws,  without  wallowing  in  the  mud.  This  work  was  accomplished 
by  piece- meal,  during  the  hours  when  we  were  relieved  from  picket 
duty. 

There  was  a  deal  of  anxiety  and  hard  work  about  this  picket  duty, 
and  on  several  occasions  regiments  were  sent  down  from  corps  head 
quarters  to  relieve  us  of  some  of  the  strain.  Our  picket  lines  were 
so  close  to  the  enemy  that  the  sound  of  rebel  drums  could  be 
plainly  heard.  The  most  continual  watchfulness  was  required  to 
prevent  surprises.  Each  day  one  regiment  of  the  brigade  was  kept 
"  under  arms  "  in  readiness  to  repel  a  sudden  attack.  This  service  was 
performed  in  turn,  as  was  also  that  of  picket  duty.  The  line  was 
daily  invaded  by  deserters  from  the  enemy,  often  coming  in  groups  of 
a  dozen,  with  tales  of  hardships  and  destitution  which  their  army  was 


302  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  contending  with ;  informing  us,  also,  that  more  were  pre 

paring  to  come,  and  that  it  took  a  considerable  force  to 
prevent  these  desertions.  From  our  previous  experience  we  were 
led  to  take  about  as  much  stock  in  these  yarns  as  we  did  in  the  stories 
of  contrabands. 

As  drilling  was  dispensed  with  we  had  some  leisure  moments 
which  were  spent  in  listening  to  the  wonderful  exploits  of  the  out 
laws  sent  out  by  the  old  Bay  State  in  August  last.  They  never  tired 
of  relating  the  mysterious  uses  to  which  a  "jimmy  "  could  be  put  by 
a  man  of  nerve,  and  how  easy  it  was  to  crack  a  bank  or  filch  a  purse. 
They  robbed  each  other  as  freely  as  they  did  others.  We  noticed  on 
their  arrival  that  nearly  every  man  had  his  pocket  cut.  Their 
mouths  were  full  of  oaths  and  mottoes,  such  as  "  God  helps  those 
who  help  themselves,"  and  "  All  men  are  born  free  and  equal,"  and 
that  "  No  man  is  entitled  to  more  than  another  unless  he  has  the 
sand  to  get  it."  Of  this  band  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  only 
about  forty  did  any  duty  at  all,  and  what  they  did  was  not  very 
reliable.  The  others  deserted,  went  into  hospitals,  or  shirked. 
Every  time  any  of  them  deserted  we  felt  glad  they  were  gone. 
From  the  moment  of  their  arrival  until  they  departed  we  had  no 
peace  or  continuous  sleep,  so  turbulent  and  noisy  were  they.  Two 
or  three  times  a  week  the  woods  near  the  camp  were  witness  to 
fights,  frequently  of  terrible  brutality.  The  disputes  which  arose 
among  them  as  they  gambled  their  money,  made  one's  life  a  misery. 
We  often  talked  over,  among  ourselves,  this  business  of  filling  up  a 
decent  regiment  with  the  outscourings  of  humanity ;  but  the  more  we 
thought  of  it  the  more  discontented  we  became.  We  longed  for  a 
quiet  night,  and  when  day  came  we  longed  to  be  away  from  these 
ruffians.  What  with  hollering,  and  swearing,  and  threats  to  knife  each 
other,  these  fellows  made  our  lives  anything  but  enjoyable. 

During  this  time  we  were  asked  to  reenlist.  The  commanding 
officer  of  each  regiment  was  instructed  to  make  an  effort  to  this  end. 
We  were  drawn  up  in  line,  and  had  explained  to  us  that  the  country 
needed  men ;  that  it  was  a  critical  period ;  that  old  soldiers  were 
worth  so  much  more  than  new  ones,  etc. ;  to  all  of  which  we 
listened  with  respectful  attention.  It  was  very  sweet  to  hear  all  this, 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  303 

1864.  but  the  Thirteenth  was  not  easily  moved  by  this  kind  of 

talk.  The  boys  knew  too  well  what  sacrifices  they  had 
made,  and  longed  to  get  home  again,  and,  if  possible,  resume  the 
places  they  had  left.  Four  times  we  were  addressed  as  to  our  duty 
about  reenlisting.  On  two  or  three  of  these  occasions  there  was  an 
unusual  amount  of  grog  floating  about.  Who  the  mysterious  bene 
factor  was,  we  are  unable  to  recall,  but  it  was  evident  to  us  that  some 
one  was  interested  in  putting  a  halo  of  attractiveness  on  the  service 
that  didn't  seem  to  fit.  On  one  of  these  occasions,  eleven  men 
yielded  to  the  influence  of  oratory  or  rum,  though  some  of  them 
afterwards  said  it  was  the  rum,  and  were  given  thirty  days'  furlough. 
Seven  of  this  number  succeeded  in  obtaining  commissions  in  other 
regiments,  so  that  only  four  returned. 

About  this  time  one  of  the  boys  in  another  regiment,  whose  wife 
had  died,  requested  leave  of  absence  to  attend  her  funeral,  and  the 
application  was  returned  from  headquarters  with  the  indorsement, 
"This  man  can  have  thirty-five  days'  furlough  by  reenlisting. 

"  (Signed)  GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS,  A.A.G." 

When  this  came  to  our  ears  a  good  deal  of  feeling  was  expressed 
in  terms  not  very  complimentary  to  the  government. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  ) 

No.  3.  )  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE, 

SECOND  DIVISION,  January  9,  1864. 

It  is  believed  that  the  troops  would  be  more  efficient  in  battle  if  opportunities 
were  afforded  them  an  occasional  target  practice. 

From  II  o'clock  to  12  is  now  allowed,  during  which  the  relieved  guards  and 
pickets  may  fire  off  their  muskets. 

In  order  that  we  may  profit  by  this  privilege,  it  is  directed,  under  the  general 
supervision  of  the  commanders  of  regiments  respectively,  that  the  pieces  of  their 
men  be  discharged  at  a  target  daily,  Sundays  excepted,  between  the  hours  desig 
nated. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  to  select  a  perfectly  safe  locality  for  this  practice,  to 
prevent  accident,  and  in  every  case  it  must  be  under  the  direction  of  a  com 
missioned  officer. 

By  command  of 

COL.  T.  F.  McCOY. 

Occasionally  the    monotony   of  camp-life  was   relieved    by   our 


304  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  brigade  commander,  who  exercised  a  kind  of  parental 

care  over  us,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  order : 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  | 

No.  5.          J      HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS,  January  17,  1864. 

Regimental  commanders  will  cause  inspection  to  be  made  of  the  haversacks  of 
picket  details  before  they  leave  camp,  and  will  be  held  responsible  that  their  details 
are  fully  supplied  with  the  necessary  rations. 

By  command  of 

COL.  T.  F.  McCOY, 

Commanding  Brigade. 
BYRON  PORTER, 
Captain  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 

If  we  had  known  of  the  existence  of  this  order  at  the  time,  we 
should  have  taken  mighty  good  care  that  our  haversacks  were  empty 
when  the  inspection  took  place. 

We  find  among  the  orders  issued  at  that  time  the  following : 

[CIRCULAR.] 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

OFFICE  OF  THE  PROVOST  MARSHAL-GENERAL, 

January  20,  1864. 

Assistant  Adjutant-General  of  Corps,  and  other  independent  commands,  are 
respectfully  requested  to  notify  officers  and  men  connected  with  their  commands 
that  they  can  be  supplied  at  Brandy  Station,  daily,  with  fresh  oysters,  at  the  fol 
lowing  prices : 

Per  gallon  in  i  bbls.  or  tubs,  $I-55 

"     i  "       in  cans,  .90 

"     quart,  in  cans,  .45 

Shell  oysters  in  bbls.,  per  bushel,  1.70 

Mr.  John  Tyson,  of  Baltimore-,  Md.  (who  has  the  contract^,  announces,  that 
having  supplied  the  hospitals,  he  will  hereafter  be  able  to  meet  all  demands  for 
oysters  made  upon  him  by  officers  and  men. 

M.  R.  PATRICK, 
Provost  Marshal-  General. 

It  took  the  government  two  and  a  half  years  to  learn  that  oysters, 
and  not  pork,  went  with  crackers ;  so  we  were  well  pleased  to  see  this 
kinship  reestablished. 

The  following  interesting  order  is  from  the  pen  of  General  Lee  : 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  305 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

NO>  .  /       HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

January  22,  1864. 

The  commanding  general  considers  it  due  to  the  army  to  state  that  the  tem 
porary  reduction  of  rations  has  been  caused  by  circumstances  beyond  the  control 
of  those  charged  with  its  support.  Its  welfare  and  comfort  are  the  objects  of  his 
constant  and  earnest  solicitude,  and  no  effort  has  been  spared  to  provide  for  its 
wants.  It  is  hoped  that  the  exertions  now  being  made  will  render  the  necessity 
of  short  duration;  but  the  history  of  the  army  has  shown  that  the  country  can 
require  no  sacrifice  too  great  for  its  patriotic  devotion. 

Soldiers !  You  tread  with  no  unequal  step  the  road  by  which  your  fathers 
marched  through  suffering,  privations,  and  blood  to  independence.  Continue  to 
emulate  in  the  future,  as  you  have  in  the  past,  their  valor  in  arms,  their  patient 
endurance  of  hardships,  their  high  resolve  to  be  free,  which  no  trial  could  shake, 
no  bribe  reduce,  no  danger  appal,  ami  be  assured  that  the  just  God  who  crowned 
their  efforts  with  success  will,  in  His  own  good  time,  send  down  His  blessing 
upon  yours. 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

In  a  letter  to  General  Lee  from  the  Quartermaster-General  of  the 
Confederacy,  under  date  of  February  5,  1864,  occurs  the  following 
paragraph,  which  shows  the  straits  to  which  the  Confederate  States 
had  been  driven  : 

You  desire  to  be  informed  in  regard  to  the  prospects  for  the  future.  As  to  the 
article  of  blankets,  we  are  entirely  dependent  upon  the  foreign  markets  for  our 
supply.  There  is  not  a  solitary  establishment  within  the  limits  of  the  Confederacy 
where  they  are  made,  nor  is  there  one,  since  the  destruction  of  Crenshaw's  at  this 
place  (Richmond)  by  fire,  that  possesses  the  appliances  for  making  them.  In 
view  of  this,  would  it  not  be  well  to  require  the  men  to  turn  them  in  for  reissue 
just  as  soon  as  approaching  summer  will  justify,  as  at  that  season  these  articles 
are  wasted?  The  Department  is  also,  owing  to  the  great  scarcity  of  wool,  some 
what  dependent  upon  the  receipts  from  abroad  for  the  heavy  woollen  cloths  essential 
for  winter  wear.  In  the  important  item  of  shoes,  I  believe  we  are  now  laboring 
under  our  greatest  difficulties,  and  that  the  coming  spring  will  bring  great  relief. 
I  do  not  allude  so  much  to  the  relief  incident  to  the  season  itself  as  that  which 
will  result  from  our  increased  resources.  Besides  the  shoe  establishment  here, 
there  are  two  other  larger  ones  in  Georgia,  at  Columbus  and  Atlanta,  and  minor 
affairs  at  other  points.  Arrangements  have  been  recently  entered  into  for  the 
introduction  of  machinery,  which,  with  limited  details,  will  enable  two  of  these 
workshops  to  turn  out  one  thousand  pairs  of  shoes  each  daily.  Major  Dillard  has 
also  in  hand  a  very  large  number  of  hides  that  have  been  for  some  time  in  the 
vats,  and  which  he  reports  will  be  available  in  the  spring.  A  small  portion  of 
that  material  would  relieve,  if  available  now,  the  wants  of  the  army. 


306  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  We  had  a  case  of  small-pox  break  out  in  camp  during 

February,  tm-g  moj^  but  the  prompt  measures  taken  by  the 
doctor  prevented  its  spreading. 

On  the  6th  we  received  orders  to  be  in  readiness  to  march  at 
daylight,  but  they  were  subsequently  countermanded.  Rumors  were 
always  circulating  about  camp  as  to  what  we  were  going  to  do,  but 
the  old  reliable,  "All  quiet  on  the  Potomac,"  was  kept  standing  in 
the  newspapers,  though  "  On  to  Richmond"  occasionally  made  its 
appearance  to  relieve  the  monotony. 

On  the  26th  a  substitute,  in  order  to  make  things  lively,  set  fire  to 
the  building  occupied  by  the  picket  reserve,  endangering  the  lives  of 
the  men  who  were  lying  in  it  asleep.  The  time  was  fast  approaching 
when  the  boys,  becoming  exasperated,  were  thinking  of  taking  the 
law  into  their  own  hands.  This  fire  had  one  good  effect,  as  it  served 
as  a  beacon  to  several  officers  and  soldiers  who  had  escaped  from 
Richmond,  and  were  seeking  our  lines.  They  were  accompanied  by 
four  negroes. 

On  the  29th  a  lieutenant  of  the  Eightieth  Illinois,  being  among  the 
last  who  came  through  the  tunnel  under  "  Libby  prison,"  approached 
our  lines  and  was  challenged,  when  he  answered,  "  Friends  without 
the  countersign."  Upon  being  admitted,  he  was  so  overjoyed  he 
knew  not  what  to  do  or  say.  Shortly  after  leaving  Richmond,  he  was 
laid  up  by  a  bad  knee,  stopping  at  the  cabin  of  a  negro  who  con 
cealed  him  and  cared  for  him  until  he  was  able  to  travel,  and  then 
accompanied  him  to  our  lines.  They  travelled  only  nights,  and  were 
helped  along  by  negroes.  The  last  two  days  he  was  near  the  rebel 
lines,  but  kept  out  of  sight.  On  this  night,  before  the  moon  was  up, 
they  crossed  the  Rapidan  between  the  rebel  pickets,  and  entered  our 
lines.  He  was  sent  by  a  special  engine  to  army  headquarters. 

The  following  order  is  inserted  to  offset  any  impression  that  may 
arise  in  the  minds  of  our  readers  that  all  the  deprivations  or  hard 
ships  fell  upon  the  private  soldier : 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  307 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  •» 

No.  6.  /  HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS,  Feb.  5,  1864. 

Gambling  within  the  limits  of    this  division  is  prohibited.     The  attention  ot 
brigade  and  regimental  commanders  is  called  to  the  suppression  of  this  evil. 
By  command  of 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  ROBINSON, 

Commanding  Division. 
S.  M.  MORGAN, 

Lieutenant  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  communication  that  even  the  brigade  and 
regimental  commanders  had  their  sorrows.  There  were  a  good 
many  orders  issued  in  the  army  that  were  prompted  more  by  a 
splenetic  condition  of  the  mind  than  the  good  of  the  service.  Con 
sidering  our  kind  regard  for  General  Robinson,  it  may  seem  a  sacrilege 
to  say  so,  yet,  when  this  order  was  read  to  the  rank  and  file,  we 
immediately  concluded  that  the  "  old  man  "  had  bean  "roasted  "  the 
night  before  by  some  of  his  "  brigade  and  regimental  commanders." 

The  language  of  this  order  was  too  plain  to  be  misunderstood, 
except  by  a  person  whose  mind  was  as  opaque  as  a  billiard-ball. 
According  to  our  thinking,  it  had  no  reference  to  the  rank  and  file, 
but  solely  to  the  officers  mentioned  in  the  order;  therefore  they 
received  our  charitable  commisseration. 

An  odd  incident  occurred  on  the  yth,  while  our  regi- 
Wednesday,  ment  was  on  picket,  that  afforded  us  considerable 
March  10.  amusement.  A  Dutchman  belonging  to  a  New  Jersey 
brigade,  becoming  dissatisfied  with  fighting  for  Uncle 
Sam,  concluded  to  transfer  his  valuable  services  to  the  enemy,  and 
accordingly  started  for  the  rebel  lines.  On  his  way,  he  passed 
through  the  picket  lines  of  the  corps  and  the  cavalry  line  without 
being  stopped.  Imagining  that  he  had  passed  the  outpost  lines  of 
the  Union  army,  and  that  our  line  was  the  rebel  picket  line,  he 
boldly  advanced  and  announced  to  us  that  he  "  Belonged  mit  the 
Shersey  brigade,  but  was  run  away  from  camp  and  desert."  Though 
we  informed  him  of  his  error,  he  was  not  convinced  until  he  was 
shown  the  brigade  flag,  and  then  he  was  too  well  convinced  for  his 
own  comfort.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  as  was  shown  by  the 


308  THESE    TEAES    IN    THE    AEMY. 

1864.  remark  he  made  in  speaking  of  himself,  "  I'm  a  tarn 

fool."  "  Be  sure  you  are  right,  then  go  ahead,"  was  the 
sound  advice  of  David  Crocket. 

Early  this  morning  an  alarm  was  sounded,  and  after  standing  in 
line  nearly  two  hours  we  were  dismissed.  It  was  subsequently 
learned  that  the  rebel  cavalry  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
capture  the  signal  station  on  Bald  Pate  Mountain. 

It  began  to  rain  early  in  the  morning  and  continued  all  day, 
settling  the  question  of  moving  for  several  days,  as  the  roads  became 
almost  impassable  on  account  of  the  mud. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  March  10,  1864,  1.40  P.M. 
LlEUT.-GEN.  U.  S.  GRANT,    Co»imander-in-Chief,    Headquarters   Army    of  the 

Potomac  : 

Pursuant  to  the  authority  of  the  Act  of  Congress,  approved  February  29,  1864, 
the  President,  by  executive  order  of  this  date,  has  assigned  to  you  the  command 
of  the  Armies  of  the  United  States. 

EDWIN  M.  ST ANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 
[CIRCULAR.]  March  10,  1864. 

The  Major-General  commanding  requests  me  to  inform  you  that  Lieutenant- 
General  Grant  has  arrived  at  his  headquarters,  and  will  remain  this  afternoon  and 
to-night.  lie  will  be  happy  to  see  you  here  at  any  time  during  his  brief  stay. 

A.  A.   HUMPHREYS, 

Major-General,  Chief  of  Staff. 
(To  Corps  Commanders.) 

We  should  like  to  have  been  a  corps  commander  long  enough  to 
have  tested  the  quality  of  his  "  cold  tea." 

There  was  a  variety  of  opinions  expressed  in  camp  about  the 
appointment  of  General  Grant  to  the  command  of  the  army.  Some 
who  had  followed  his  career  closely  were  enthusiastically  in  his  favor, 
while  others  had  grave  doubts.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  been 
pretty  severely  criticised  by  some  of  the  Western  generals,  conveying 
the  impression  that  we  couldn't  fight.  The  ill  feeling  engendered  by 
such  silly  talk  soon  wore  away,  however. 

On  the  i2th  of  March  we  had  a  game  of  base- ball  with  some 
members  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  New  York  Regiment.  As 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  309 

1864.  opportunities  for  indulging  our  love  for  this  pastime  were 

not  very  frequent,  we  got  a  deal  of  pleasure  out  of  it. 
The  score  was  as  follows  : 

One  Hundred  and  Fourth  New  York,  20 

Thirteenth  Mass.,  62 

Let  the  young  people  of  to-day  (1893)  ponder  on  that  score  as 
they  recall  sitting  all  the  afternoon  to  see  professional  clubs  play 
without  making  a  point  on  either  side.  While  modesty  forbids  com 
mending  our  own  playing,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  refrain 
from  bestowing  praise  on  the  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  New  York, 
though  it  is  evident  enough  that  they  must  have  played  a  fine  game 
to  have  won  even  twenty  points. 

During  our  stay  at  Mitchell's  Station,  one  of  the  officers  of 
the  Thirteenth,  while  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  on  the 
picket  line,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cedar  Mountain,  picked  up  several 
very  good  specimens  of  flint  arrow-heads,  such  as  are  commonly 
used  by  North  American  Indians.  His  curiosity  becoming  excited, 
he  continued  his  searches  until  he  succeeded  in  filling  his  haversack 
with  arrow-heads,  hatchets,  and  lance-heads.  The  land  where  they 
were  found  belonged  to  a  Mr.  Yeager,  a  non-combatant,  and  was  that 
occupied  by  the  rebel  army  at  the  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain,  August 
9,  1862.  Presumably  this  spot  was  once  the  site  of  an  Indian 
village,  and  possibly  before  the  white  man  gained  possession  of  the 
"  sacred  soil "  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Yeager  assured  the  finder  that,  as 
long  back  as  he  could  remember,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  finding  these 
evidences  of  Indian  occupation  of  his  farm,  and  had  long  since  lost 
his  interest  in  them  as  curiosities.  It  so  happened  at  this  time  that 
a  fair  was  being  held  in  Philadelphia  in  aid  of  the  Sanitary  or  Christian 
Commissions,  information  of  which  had  reached  us  through  the  news 
papers.  The  idea  occurred  to  the  finder  that  these  rude  specimens 
of  the  handicraft  of  another  race  might  serve  a  useful  purpose,  and 
he  thereupon  sent  them,  with  an  explanatory  note,  to  the  managers 
of  the  fair,  to  be  sold,  and  the  receipts  turned  in  as  part  of  their 
income.  A  letter  was  subsequently  received  stating  that  quite  a  con 
siderable  sum  was  received  from  their  sale. 


310  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  The  duties  of  outpost  guard  relieved  the  Thirteenth 

from  a  strict  observance  of  the  following  order  issued 
to  the  division  : 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  1 6.  J  HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS,  March  20,  1864. 

I.  The  signal  for  service  will,  until  further  orders,  be  as  follows : 
Reveille,  daylight.  Recall,  4  P.M. 

Police  call,  15  minutes  later.  First  call  for  parade,  45  minutes  before 

Surgeon's  call,  6  A.M.  sunset. 

Breakfast,  7  A.M.  Second  call,  15  minutes  before  sunset. 

Guard  mounting,  8  A.M.  Tattoo,  9  P.M. 

Drill,  9  A.M.  Taps,  9.20  P.M. 

Recall,  1 1  A.M.  Sunday  morning  inspection,  8  A.M. 

Dinner,  12.30  P.M.  Guard  mounting  immediately  after. 

Drill,  2  P.M. 

II.  The  calls  will  be  sounded  promptly  at  the  hours  named,  and  the  men  will 
be  ready  to  fall  into  the  ranks  instantly.     The  morning  drill  will  be  by  company, 
the  afternoon  by  battalion  or  brigade.     Particular  attention  will   be  paid   to    skir 
mishing,  both  by  company  and  battalion.     There  will    be  a  brigade  drill    every 
Tuesday  and  Thursday  afternoon. 

III.  At  police  call  in  the  morning  the  whole  command  will  be  turned  out, 
and  the  camps  swept  and  put  in  perfect  order;   at  the  same  time  earth  will  be 
thrown  in  the  sinks.     Regimental  commanders  will  be  held  responsible  for  this. 

IV.  The  men's  quarters  will  be  inspected  daily,  and  the  coverings  of  the  huts 
removed  every  Saturday  when  the  weather  will  permit. 

V.  Officers  must  attend  and  superintend  roll-calls. 

VI.  At  the  first  call  for  parade,  companies  will   be   formed   and  thoroughly 
inspected  by  commanders;   at  the  second  call  they  will  be  inarched  to  the  regi 
mental  parade  ground. 

VII.  The  hours  appointed  for  drill   must  be  employed  in    drill,  and   not  in 
resting.     Men  will  not  be  permitted  to  sit  or  lie  down,  and  the  prescribed  uniform 
must  be  worn  on  all  duty  under  arms. 

By  command  of 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  ROBINSON. 

The  financial  stringency  that  had  for  some  time  af- 
Monday,        fected   the   pocket-books  of   most  of  us  was   removed 
March  21.      to-day  by  the  paymaster,  and  penury's  tedious  burden 
vanished  like  dew  before  the  sun. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  311 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  \ 

No.  10.         /  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

March  24,  1864. 

I.  The  following  order  has  been  received  from  the  War  Department : 

II.  The  Second,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Army  Corps  will  each  be  consolidated  into 
two  divisions.     The  First  and  Second  Divisions  of  the  Third  Corps  are  transferred 
to  the  Second  Corps,  preserving  their  badges  and  distinctive   marks.     The  Third 
Division  of  the  Third  Corps  is  transferred  permanently  to  the  Sixth  Corps.     The 
three  divisions  now  forming  the  First  Corps  are  transferred  to  the  Fifth  Corps, 
preserving  their  badges  and  distinctive  marks,  and  on  joining  the  Fifth  Corps  they 
will  be  consolidated  into  two  divisions. 

The  commanders  of  the  divisions  transferred  to  the  Second,  Fifth,  and  Sixth 
Corps  will  at  once  report  to  the  commanders  of  those  corps  for  instructions. 

III.  The  Major-General  commanding  avails  himself  of  the  occasion  to  say  that, 
in  view  of  the  reduced  strength  of  nearly  all  the  regiments  serving  in  this  army, 
the  temporary  reduction  of  the  number    of  army  corps  to  three   is  a  measure 
imperatively  demanded  by  the  best  interests  of  the  service,  and  that  the  reasons 
for  attaching  the  First  and  Third  Corps,  for  the  time  being,  to  other  corps  were 
in  no  respect  founded  upon  any  supposed  inferiority  of  those  corps  to  the  other 
corps  of  this  army.     All  the  corps  have  equally  proved  their  valor  on  many  fields, 
and  all  have  equal  claims  to  the  confidence   of  the   government   and   of  the 
country.     The  First  and  Third  Corps  will  retain  their  badges   and   distinctive 
marks,  and  the  Major-General  commanding  indulges  the  hope  that  the  ranks  of 
the  army  will  be  tilled  at  an  early  day,  so  that  those  corps  can  be  reorganized. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 

Assistant- Adjutant  General, 

A  good  deal  of  dissatisfaction  was  expressed  with  General  Meade 
for  wiping  out  the  First  Corps,  notwithstanding  we  were  allowed  to 
retain  the  corps  badge  in  combination  with  that  of  the  Fifth  Corps 
—  a  sop  to  our  indignation. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  > 

No.  9.  /  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  ARMY  CORPS, 

March  25,  1864. 

On  relinquishing  command  I  take  occasion  to  express  the  pride  and  pleasure  I 
have  experienced  in  my  connection  with  you  and  my  profound  regret  at  our 
separation. 

Identified  by  its  service  with  the  history  of  the  war,  the  First  Corps  gave  at 
Gettysburg  a  crowning  proof  of  valor  and  endurance,  in  saving  from  the  grasp 
of  the  enemy  the  strong  position  upon  which  the  battle  was  fought. 


312  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  The  terrible  losses  suffered  by  this  corps  in  the  conflict  attest  its 

supreme  devotion  to  the  country. 

Though  the  corps  has  lost  its  distinctive  name  by  the  present  changes,  history 
will  not  be  silent  upon  the  magnitude  of  its  services. 

JOHN  NEWTON, 

Major-  General. 

In  his  retirement  from  the  command  of  the  First  Corps,  General 
Newton  carried  with  him  the  good- will  and  respect  of  every  officer 
and  soldier  that  had  the  honor  to  serve  under  him. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  "I 

jj0_  I7          j  HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION, 

FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS,  March  26,  1864. 

I.  Immediately  requisition  will  be  made  for  everything  necessary  to  equip  the 
troops  for  active  service  in  the  field,  including  shelter  tents,  pioneer  tools,  and 
badges. 

II.  All  men,  including  clerks,  waiters,  etc.,  must  be  armed  and  equipped.     In 
addition  to  the  division  badge,  every  man  will  be  required  to  have  on  his  cap  the 

number  of  his  regiment. 

By  command  of 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL   ROBINSON. 

Each  company  was  required  to  be  provided  with  an  axe,  and  each 
regiment  was  to  have  five  pioneers. 

Tuesday,        An  order  was  received  to-day  from   General  Warren 
March  29.   containing  the  following  paragraph  : 

III.  Details,  unless  otherwise  ordered,  will  be  for  one  day  only,  and  men 
must  eat  their  breakfast  before  leaving  camp,  and  bring  their  dinner  in  haver 
sacks. 

What,  in  the  name  of  all  that  was  good  and  holy,  came  over  the 
honorable  major-general  when  he  penned  that  paragraph  about 
eating  our  breakfast  and  bringing  our  dinner  was  more  than  we  could 
guess.  This  was  the  first  instance  when  any  solicitude  was  shown, 
after  we  had  drawn  rations,  as  to  whether  we  ate  them  at  once,  or 
divided  them  into  nine  parts.  "Bring  their  dinners  in  haversacks  " 
pleased  us  immensely. 

The  monotony  of  camp  life  was  relieved  to-day  by  a  celebration 
which  took  place  in  the  camp  of  the  Sixteenth  Maine,  in  honor  of 
the  return  of  its  colonel,  who  had  recently  escaped  from  Richmond. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  313 

1864.  Greased  pig,  sack  races,  and  base-ball  were  among  the 

list  of  sports  marked  out  for  the  day's  pleasure.  We  had 
a  good  time,  and  as  the  Maine  boys  had  learned  from  experience  not 
to  trust  their  pocket-books  in  reach  of  our  substitutes,  there  was 
nothing  to  mar  the  fun.  One  of  the  Thirteenth  boys  succeeded  in 
capturing  the  "  greasy  pig,"  so  there  was  fresh  pork  in  camp. 

[CIRCULAR.]  HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

March  29,  1864. 

The  General  commanding  the  corps  regrets  to  find  that  a  false  notion  prevails 
with  many  soldiers  that  labor  is  not  their  duty;  nevertheless  the  removal  of  filth 
and  garbage,  the  making  of  sinks  and  drains,  are  all  necessary  to  prevent  sickness, 
and  increase  the  number  to  stand  by  our  sides  in  the  day  of  battle.  In  making 
good  roads,  we  make  certain  the  timely  arrival  of  provisions  and  equipage  at  all 
times,  and  in  movements  against  the  enemy  secure  the  rapidity  to  the  advance 
and  reliability  in  the  calculated  arrival  of  supports  and  reserves. 

No  officer  should  camp  in  a  wet  and  filthy  place,  and  leave  it  so,  or  allow  it  to 
accumulate,  nor  be  content  to  get  his  own  command  over  a  difficult  place,  if  he 
does  not  expect  to  see  his  men  failing  from  bad  health  and  disease,  and  be  left 
alone  when  he  meets  the  enemy.  Duty  in  all  these  things  requires  labor,  with 
axe  and  pickaxe,  spade  and  shovel.  In  their  proper  places  these  harmless  tools 
contribute  as  much  to  the  success  of  an  army  as  the  most  ponderous  projectile, 
the  deadliest  rifle,  or  the  sharpest  sword.  There  is  no  great  soldier  of  ancient  or 
modern  times  who  succeeded  more  by  fighting  than  by  using  his  troops  as 
laborers  and  mechanics.  Work  of  such  vital  importance  is  therefore  honorable  to 
all  engaged,  and  should  be  performed  with  as  much  good-will  as  the  storming  of 
an  intrenchment. 

The  General  commanding  the  corps  believes  with  the  true  impulses  of  a  soldier, 
and  appeals  to  the  good  sense  and  patriotism  of  his  command,  and  calls  upon  his 
officers  of  all  grades,  when  engaged  on  working  parties,  to  be  constantly  on  the 
alert,  to  preserve  order  and  regulate  the  apportionment  of  the  details  so  the  labor 
shall  fall  equally  upon  all,  and  be  performed  with  despatch. 

The  experience  which  all  will  acquire  in  this  will  habituate  the  officers  to  com 
mand,  and  their  men  to  obedience,  and  add  an  essential  element  to  their  morale 
in  battle.  Troops  that  work  cheerfully,  and  march  well,  always  fight  well,  and  to 
the  best  advantage. 

Working  details  will  always  be  made  out,  and  conducted  according  to  General 
Orders  No.  9,  from  these  headquarters. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL  WARREN. 


314  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

April  8,  1864. 
[CIRCULAR.] 

The  granting  of  all  leaves  of  absence  and  furloughs  having  been  stopped, 
except  in  extreme  cases,  no  others  will  be  granted. 

The  dangerous  illness  or  death  of  any  relative  will  not  hereafter  be  so  consid 
ered.  These  grievous  events  are  common  to  all,  as  much  so  at  least  to  the  soldier  in 
the  field  as  to  those  at  home. 

Soldiers  and  their  friends  should  remember  that  they  came  here  in  their 
country's  cause,  and  that  the  prospect  of  death  to  the  latter  should  no  more  call 
the  soldier  from  his  duties  than  the  greater  chance  to  which  he  himself  is  exposed. 

An  extreme  case  can  only  be  made  out  when  the  applicant's  presence  is 
necessary  to  perform  some  essential  duty  at  home  more  important  to  him  than  the 
service  of  the  country,  and  which  no  one  else  can  attend  to. 

This  circular  will  be  read  at  the  head  of  every  camp  and  regiment  in  the 
command. 

By  order  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL  WARREN. 

The  winter  did  not  pass  without  our  receiving  boxes 
from  home  ;  those  remembrances,  prepared  by  mothers 
and  sisters,  were  rilled  with  choice  eatables,  and  frequently 
contained  things  to  wear.  These  evidences  of  thought- 
fulness  of  friends  at  home  were  very  cheering,  and  as  each  little  mess 
shared  their  contents  they  brought  pleasure  to  many.  There  were 
others,  besides  our  immediate  friends,  who  were  working  for  the 
soldier.  Young  ladies  were  busy  knitting  stockings  and  mittens  and 
making  comfortable  articles  of  wearing  apparel,  which  were  sent  out 
as  fast  as  collected.  These  were  all  highly  appreciated.  We  were 
not  always  aware  who  these  kind  friends  were,  though  now  and  then 
a  name  would  be  found  tucked  away  in  some  corner  and  when  dis 
covered,  often  started  a  pleasant  correspondence  which  was  not  the 
least  of  the  pleasures  that  grew  out  of  their  anxiety  for  the  welfare 
of  the  soldiers.  This  noble  work  was  carried  on  during  the  war 
with  an  unremitting  labor,  and  a  devotion  that  should  never  be  for 
gotten  while  a  soldier  is  alive  to  express  his  appreciation  of  the 
practical  good  that  it  did.  Nor  were  the  women  our  only  friends. 
There  were  men  in  Boston,  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  State, 
who  were  untiring  in  their  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers.  They 
not  only  contributed  time  and  labor,  but  gave  large  sums  of  money 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  315 

1864.  to  help  along  the  work  that  was  being  done  by  the 

women.  It  was  a  disinterested  work  for  which  they  got 
nothing,  not  even  a  "  thank  you"  from  the  men  whose  interest  they 
had  so  much  at  heart.  Soldiers  were  too  far  asvay  without  suitable 
opportunities  for  expressing  the  appreciation  they  felt  at  this  patriotic 
service  that  was  being  carried  on  in  their  absence.  The  names  of 
some  of  these  men  became  known  through  our  correspondence  with 
friends,  and  are  cherished  among  the  recollections  of  that  exciting 
period.  It  is  difficult  to  estimate  how  much  good  was  done  by  these 
earnest  patriotic  men  and  women  to  give  encouragement  to  soldiers, 
or  how  much  they  did  to  keep  alive  patriotism  in  others.  Soldiers 
should  never  forget,  that  without  the  aid  of  these  people  at  home, 
the  war  could  not  have  been  successfully  carried  on. 

On  the  fourth  of  the  month  we  had  a  snow-storm  that  would  have 
honored  Massachusetts  Bay.  It  was  followed  by  rain,  and  then 
mud  —  the  "sacred  soil"  of  Virginia. 

On  the  eighth  we  were  reviewed  by  General  Grant.  Our  curi 
osity  was  very  great  to  see  the  new  commander.  This  review  was  a 
new  experience  to  us.  The  absence  of  "  red  tape  "  was  one  of  its 
noticeable  features.  We  waited  in  line  but  a  short  time  when  an 
officer  was  seen  approaching  at  a  gallop,  completely  outstripping  the 
other  members  of  his  staff,  who  found  it  impossible  to  keep  pace  with 
him,  so  great  was  the  speed.  He  made  a  complete  circuit  of  the 
regiment,  looking  every  man  square  in  the  face,  returning  our  salute 
as  he  passed  along,  continuing  the  same  rapid  gait  to  each  camp  of 
the  brigade  until  the  work  was  completed.  It  was  performed  so 
quickly  that  we  hardly  realized  that  it  was  done.  His  staff  came 
straggling  along  as  best  they  could  on  their  panting  horses,  to  the 
great  amusement  of  the  boys. 

This  review  afforded  a  topic  for  some  lively  conversation.  It  was 
so  much  different  from  anything  we  had  seen  before  ;  there  was  such 
an  air  of  business  about  it,  and  so  little  reaching  for  adulation,  that 
it  produced  a  good  effect  by  inspiring  confidence  in  the  new  com 
mander. 

In  accordance  with  an  Act  of  Congress,  approved  February  24, 
1864,  an  order  was  issued  from  Army  Headquarters  on  the 


316  THESE    YEARS    IN    THE    AliMY. 

1864.  of  March,  containing  a  provision  that  "  Any  person  now 

in  the  military  service  of  the  United  States,  who  shall  fur 
nish  satisfactory  proof  that  he  is  a  mariner  by  vocation,  or  an  able 
seaman,  or  an  ordinary  seaman,  may  enlist  into  the  navy,  under  such 
rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States."  The  regulations  provided  that  the  commanding 
officer  of  each  company  should  forward  all  applications  for  transfer 
with  the  proof  that  the  applicants  were  mariners  by  vocation.  When 
the  news  of  the  passage  of  this  order  reached  the  army  some  of  the 
boys  thought  a  transfer  to  the  navy  might  be  a  good  way  to  round  off 
their  three  years'  service  ;  but,  as  the  provisions  of  the  act  were  read, 
it  was  seen  that  unless  a  man  could  splice  the  main  brace,  dance  a 
hornpipe,  or  was  master  of  other  nautical  accomplishments,  such  as 
hitching  up  the  trowsers,  a  habit  peculiar  to  man-of-war's  men,  or  he 
could  tell  when  the  sun  crossed  the  foreyard,  he  could  not  be 
accepted.  The  only  nautical  experience  most  of  us  had  was  that 
gained  by  paddling  a  raft  on  a  duck- pond  during  our  school  days, 
which  was  not  sufficient  to  come  within  the  meaning  of  "  vocation." 
There  were  times  when  fatigued  by  long  marches,  or  when  compelled 
to  rest  one's  bones  on  the  unyielding  surface  of  the  frozen  ground, 
that  we  wished  ourselves  snugly  stowed  away  in  a  hammock  between 
decks,  undisturbed  by  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  In  spite  of 
the  allurements  of  comfort,  which  our  imaginations  associated  with  a 
"  Life  on  the  ocean  wave,"  we  hesitated  before  jumping  from  the 
frying-pan  into  the  fire.  Even  the  natural  hankering  which  the 
human  mind  has  for  riches,  and  which  was  said  might  be  gratified  by 
the  distribution  of  prize-money,  failed  to  stimulate  our  cupidity. 
Our  companions,  the  substitutes,  looked  at  the  matter  differently. 
They  were  disgusted  with  the  tiresome  routine  of  a  soldier's  life,  and 
longed  to  go  where  rations  of  rum  were  provided  with  regularity. 
Some  of  these  men  had  served  in  the  navy  under  other  names,  and 
knew  what  they  were  talking  about.  According  to  the  government's 
idea,  the  vigor  and  strength  that  rum  was  supposed  to  impart  to  the 
muscles  of  a  sailor  was  unnecessary  to  the  soldier. 

There  were  twenty-six  of  our  roistering  buccaneer  bounty-jumpers 
who  availed  themselves  of  the  provisions  of  the  order,  and  they  were 


TIIIRTEKMII    MASS.     VOLS.  o!7 

1864.  promptly  transferred,  and  it  was  "good  riddance  to  bad 

rubbish  "  when  they  left. 

According  to  Samuel  Johnson,  "  Being  in  a  ship  is  being  in  a  jail, 
with  the  chance  of  being  drowned."  Hence  the  appropriateness  of 
transferring  our  substitutes. 

On  the  i  gth  of  April  an  order  was  received  from  General  Robin 
son  that  "  Particular  attention  will  be  paid  at  battalion  drill  to  the 
formation  of  squares  both  direct  and  oblique,  and  to  the  formation 
of  columns  against  cavalry.  Regiments  should  be  so  drilled  that 
the  movements  can  be  made  promptly,"  and  that  "  during  an  en 
gagement  men  must  not  be  allowed  to  leave  the  ranks  to  accompany 
their  wounded  comrades  to  the  rear ;  this  duty  will  be  performed  by 
men  of  the  ambulance  corps ;  neither  will  they  be  allowed  to  leave 
for  want  of  ammunition."  We  were  first  drilled  in  the  formation  of 
squares  when  we  were  at  Fort  Independence  and  pretty  continuously 
ever  since,  so  we  were  tolerably  familiar  with  that  movement. 

[CIRCULAR.]  HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

April  25,  1864. 

The  first  evening  parade  after  this  is  received,  the  General  commanding  the 
corps  directs  that  in  each  regiment  it  must  he  announced  that  all  applicants  for 
admission  to  the  free  military  school  at  Philadelphia,  on  a  furlough  for  thirty  days, 
for  the  purpose  of  becoming  qualified  to  command  colored  troops,  shall  he  handed 
in  before  next  morning.  A  report  will  be  at  once  made  of  the  total  number  of 
such  applications  in  each  regiment  and  the  number  present  in  the  regiment  to 
these  headquarters. 

Prompt  return  in  this  case  is  desirable. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL     WARREN. 

We  broke  up  our  winter  quarters  and  marched  a  short 
Tuesday,  distance  across  Cedar  Run  to  a  hill  near  by,  and  after 
April  26.  dark  moved  again  to  the  right  of  the  camp  of  the 

Thirty-ninth  and  pitched  our  shelters. 

The  officers  were  again  notified  to  reduce  the  quantity  of  their 
luggage,  but  the  rank  and  file  as  usual  were  allowed  to  carry  an  un 
limited  amount.  As  our  comrades,  the  substitutes  who  left  us  to 
seek  for  glory  on  the  high  seas,  had  stolen  about  everything  we  had 


318  THREE   YEARS  IN   THE  ARMY. 

1864.  but  fa&  pcdiculus  hiiinanus,  we  had  little  trouble  in  keep 

ing  within  the  bounds  of  prudence. 

The  following,  taken  from  the  report  of  General  Grant  on  the 
operations  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States,  outlines  the  duties 
imposed  on  the  armies  operating  near  Richmond  : 

Major-General  Meade  was  instructed  that  Lee's  army  would  be  his  objective 
point;  that  wherever  Lee  went  he  would  go  also.  For  his  movement  two  plans 
presented  themselves :  one  to  cross  the  Rapidan  below  Lee,  moving  by  his  right 
flank;  the  other  above,  moving  by  his  left.  Each  presented  advantages  over  the 
other  with  corresponding  objections.  By  crossing  above,  Lee  would  be  cut  off 
from  all  chance  of  ignoring  Richmond  or  going  north  on  a  raid.  But  if  we  took 
this  route  all  we  did  would  have  to  be  done  while  the  rations  we  started  with  held 
out;  besides,  it  separated  us  from  Butler,  so  that  he  could  not  be  directed  how  to 
cooperate.  If  we  took  the  other  route,  Brandy  Station  could  be  used  as  a  base 
of  supplies  until  another  was  secured  on  the  York  or  James  Rivers.  Of  these, 
however,  it  was  decided  to  take  the  lower  route. 

The    following  letter  of  instruction  was  addressed  to  Maj.-Gen. 

E.  F.  Butler : 

FORT  MTNROE,  VA.,  April  2,  1864. 
MAJ.-GEX.  B.  F.  BUTLER: 

GENERAL  :  In  the  spring  campaign,  which  it  is  desirable  shall  commence  at  as 
early  a  day  as  practicable,  it  is  proposed  to  have  cooperative  action  of  all  the 
armies  in  the  field,  as  far  as  this  object  can  be  accomplished. 

It  will  not  be  possible  to  unite  our  armies  into  two  or  three  large  ones  to  act  as 
so  many  units,  owing  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  holding  on  to  the  territory 
already  taken  from  the  enemy.  But  generally  speaking,  concentration  can  be 
practically  effected  by  armies  moving  to  the  interior  of  the  enemy's  country  from 
the  territory  they  have  to  guard.  By  such  movement  they  interpose  themselves 
between  the  enemy  and  the  country  to  be  guarded,  thereby  reducing  the  number 
necessary  to  guard  important  points,  or  at  least  occupy  the  attention  of  a  part  of 
the  enemy's  force,  if  no  greater  object  is  gained.  Lee's  army  and  Richmond 
being  the  greater  objects  toward  which  our  attention  must  be  directed  in  the  next 
campaign,  it  is  desirable  to  unite  all  the  force  we  can  against  them.  The  neces 
sity  of  covering  Washington  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  of  covering  your 
department  with  your  army,  makes  it  impossible  to  unite  these  forces  at  the 
beginning  of  any  move.  I  propose,  therefore,  what  comes  nearest  this  of  any 
thing  that  seems  practicable :  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  will  act  from  its  present 
base,  Lee's  army  being  the  objective  point.  You  will  collect  all  the  forces  from 
your  command  that  can  be  spared  from  garrison  duty  —  I  should  say,  not  less  than 
twenty  thousand  effective  men  —  to  operate  on  the  south  side  of  James  River, 
Richmond  being  your  objective  point.  To  the  force  you  already  have  will  be 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  319 

1864.  added  about  ten  thousand  men  from  South  Carolina,  under  Major- 

General  C'lillmore,  who  will  command  them  in  person.  Maj.-Gen. 
W.  F.  Smith  is  ordered  to  report  to  you,  to  command  the  troops  sent  into  the  field 
from  your  own  department.  General  Gillmore  will  be  ordered  to  report  to  you  at 
Fortress  Munroe,  with  all  the  troops  on  transports,  by  the  iSth  instant,  or  as  soon 
thereafter  as  practicable.  Should  you  not  receive  notice  by  that  time  to  move, 
you  will  make  such  disposition  of  them  and  your  other  force  as  you  may  deem 
best  calculated  to  deceive  the  enemy  as  to  the  real  move  to  be  made. 

When  you  are  notified  to  move,  take  City  Point  with  as  much  force  as  possible. 
Fortify,  or  rather  intrench  at  once,  and  concentrate  all  your  troops  for  the  field 
there  as  rapidly  as  you  can.  From  City  Point  directions  cannot  be  given  at  this 
time  for  your  further  movements. 

The  fact  that  has  already  been  stated  —  that  is,  that  Richmond  is  to  be  your 
objective  point,  and  that  there  is  to  be  cooperation  between  your  force  and  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac —  must  be  your  guide.  This  indicates  the  necessity  of  your 
holding  close  to  the  south  bank  of  the  James  River  as  you  advance.  Then, 
should  the  enemy  be  forced  into  his  intrenchments  in  Richmond,  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  would  follow,  and  by  means  of  transports  the  two  armies  would 
become  a  unit.  All  the  minor  details  of  your  advance  are  left  entirely  to  your 
discretion.  If,  however,  you  think  it  practicable  to  use  your  cavalry  south  of 
you  so  as  to  cut  the  railroad  about  Hicksfora  about  the  time  of  the  general 
advance,  it  would  be  of  immense  advantage. 

You  will  please  forward  for  my  information  at  the  earliest  practicable  day,  all 
orders,  details,  and  instructions  you  may  give  for  the  execution  of  this  order. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 
Lieutenant-  General. 

On  the  i6th  these  instructions  were  substantially  reiterated.  On  the  igth,  in 
order  to  secure  full  cooperation  between  his  army  and  that  of  General  Meade,  he 
was  informed  that  I  expected  him  to  move  from  Fort  Munroe  the  same  day  that 
General  Meade  moved  from  Culpeper.  The  exact  time  I  was  to  telegraph  him  as 
soon  as  it  was  fixed,  and  that  it  would  not  be  earlier  than  the  2yth  of  April; 
that  it  was  my  intention  to  fight  Lee  between  Culpeper  and  Richmond  if  he 
would  stand.  Should  he,  however,  fall  back  into  Richmond,  I  would  follow  up 
and  make  a  junction  with  his  (General  Butler's)  army  on  the  James  River;  that, 
could  I  be  certain  he  would  be  able  to  invest  Richmond  on  the  south  side,  so  as 
to  have  his  left  resting  on  the  James  above  the  city,  I  would  form  the  junction 
there;  that  circumstances  might  make  this  course  advisable  anyhow;  that  he 
should  use  every  exertion  to  secure  footing  as  far  up  the  south  side  of  the 
river  as  he  could,  and  as  soon  as  possible  after  receipt  of  orders  to  move; 
that  if  he  could  not  carry  the  city,  he  should  at  least  detain  as  large  a  force  there 
as  possible.  In  cooperation  with  the  main  movements  against  Lee  and  Johnston, 
I  was  desirous  of  using  all  other  troops  necessarily  kept  in  departments  remote 
from  the  fields  of  immediate  operations,  and  also  those  kept  in  the  background 


320  TIIIIEE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  for  the  protection  gf  an  extended  line  between  the  loyal  States  and 

the  armies  operating  against  them. 

Owing  to  the  weather  and  bad  condition  of  the  roads,  operations  were  de 
layed  until  the  first  of  May,  when,  everything  being  in  readiness,  and  the  roads 
favorable,  orders  were  given  for  a  general  movement  of  all  the  armies  not  later 
than  the  fourth  of  May.  My  first  object  being  to  break  the  military  power  of  the 
rebellion,  and  capture  the  enemy's  important  strongholds,  made  me  desirous  that 
General  Butler  should  succeed  in  his  movement  against  Richmond,  as  that  would 
tend  more  than  anything  else,  unless  it  were  the  capture  of  Lee's  army,  to 
accomplish  this  desired  result  in  the  East.  If  he  failed,  it  was  my  determination, 
by  hard  lighting,  either  to  compel  Lee  to  retreat,  or  to  so  cripple  him  that  he 
could  not  detach  a  large  force  to  go  north  and  still  retain  enough  for  the  defence 
of  Richmond.  It  was  well  understood  by  both  Generals  Butler  and  Meade, 
before  starting  on  the  campaign,  that  it  was  my  intention  to  put  both  their  armies 
south  of  the  James  River,  in  case  of  failure  to  destroy  Lee  without  it.  Before 
giving  General  Butler  his  instructions,  I  visited  him  at  Fort  Munroe,  and  in  con 
versation  pointed  out  the  apparent  importance  of  getting  possession  of  Petersburg, 
and  destroying  railroad  communication  as  far  south  as  possible.  Believing, 
however,  in  the  practicability  of  capturing  Richmond  unless  it  was  reinforced,  I 
made  that  the  objective  point  of  *his  operations.  As  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was 
to  move  simultaneously  with  him,  Lee  could  not  detach  from  his  army  with  safety, 
and  the  enemy  did  not  have  troops  elsewhere  to  bring  to  the  defence  of  the  city 
in  time  to  meet  a  rapid  movement  from  the  north  of  James  River. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  ^ 

;\rOi  2-,  j  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

May  2,  1864. 

The  Commanding  General  having  learned  that,  notwithstanding  the  caution  con 
tained  in  General  Orders,  No.  22,  of  April  25,  1864,  from  these  headquarters, 
there  are  men  in  this  army  who  refuse  to  do  duty  on  the  ground  that  their  term 
of  service  has  expired,  it  will  be  made  known  to  such  men  that  their  conduct, 
being  open  mutiny,  will  be  punished  with  death  without  trial  unless  they  promptly 
return  to  duty;  and,  hereafter,  any  soldier  who  refuses  to  do  duty  on  a  similar 
plea  will  instantly  be  shot,  without  any  form  of  trial  whatever.  The  honor  of  the 
service,  and  the  necessities  of  the  hour,  admit  of  no  other  disposition  of  such 
cases.  The  Commanding  General  again  expresses  the  hope  that  the  soldiers  of 
this  army  will  respectfully  ask  for  and  cheerfully  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  War 
Department  with  respect  to  their  term  of  service,  but  he  has  no  further  word  of 
warning  for  those  who,  at  a  time  like  the  present,  choose  to  defy  lawful  authority. 
Corps  and  other  independent  commanders  are  charged  with  the  execution  of  this 
order. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  321 

1864.  IlEAUQfARTEKS    ARMY    UK    IIIK    PoToMAC, 

May  2,  1864. 
[ORDERS.] 

1.  The  army  will  move  on  Wednesday,  the  4th  of  May,  1864. 

2.  On  the  day  previous,  Tuesday,  the  jd  of  May,  Major-general  Sheridan, 
commanding  Cavalry  Corps,  will  move  Gregg's  cavalry  division  to  the  vicinity  of 
Richardsville.     It  will  he  accompanied  by  one-half  the  canvas  pontoon  train,  the 
engineer  troops  with  which  will  repair  the  road  to  Ely's  Ford  as  far  as  practicable 
without  exposing  their  work  to  the  observation  of  the  enemy.      Guards  will  be 
placed  on  all  the  occupied  houses  on  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  route  of  the  cavalry 
and  in  advance  toward  the  Rapidan,  so  as  to  prevent  any  communication  with  the 
enemy  by  the  inhabitants.     The  same  precaution  will  be  taken  at  the  same  time 
in  front  of  the  First  and  Third  Cavalry  Divisions,  and  wherever  it  may  be  con 
sidered  necessary.     At  2  A.M.  of  the  4th  May,  Gregg's  division  will  move  to 
Ely's  Ford,  cross  the  Rapidan  as  soon  as  the  canvas  pontoon  bridge  is  laid,  if  the 
river  is  not  fordable,  and  as  soon  as  the  infantry  of  the  Second  Corps  is  up,  will 
move  to  the  vicinity  of  Piny  Branch  Church,  or  in  that  section,  throwing  recon 
naissances  well  out  on  the  Pamunkey  road,  toward  Spottsylvania  Court  House, 
Hamilton's  Crossing,  and  Fredericksburg.     The  roads  past  Piny  Branch  Church, 
Todd's  Tavern,  etc.,  will  be  kept  clear  for  the  passage  of  the  infantry  the  following 
day.     The  cavalry  division  will  remain  in  this  position  to  cover  the  passage  of  the 
army  trains,  and  will  move  with  them  and  cover  their  left  flank.     At  midnight  of 
the  3d  of  May,  the  Third  Cavalry  Division,  with  one  half  the  canvas  pontoon 
bridge  train,  which  will  join  it  after  dark,  will  move  to  Germanna  Ford,  taking  the 
plank-road,  and  cross  the  Rapidan  as  soon  as  the  bridge  is  laid,  if  the  river  is  not 
fordable,  and  hold  the  crossing  until  the  infantry  of  the  Fifth  Corps  is  up.     It  will 
then  move  to  Parker's  Store,  on  the  Orange  Court  House  plank-road,  or  that 
vicinity,  sending  out  strong  reconnaissances  on  the  Orange  pike  and  plank-roads 
and  the  Catharpin  and  Pamunkey  roads,  until  they  feel  the  enemy,  and  at  least  as 
far  as  Robertson's  Tavern,  the  New  Hope  Church,  and  Almond's  or  Robertson's. 
All  intelligence  concerning  the  enemy  will  be  communicated  with  promptitude  to 
headquarters  and  to  the  corps  and  division  commanders  of  the  nearest  infantry 
troops. 

3.  Major-General  Warren,  commanding  Fifth  Corps,  will  send  two   divisions 
at  midnight  of  the  3d  instant,  by  way  of  Stevensburg  ami  the  plank-road,  to  the 
crossing  at  Germanna  Ford.     So  much  of  the  bridge  train  of  the  Fifth  Corps  as 
may  be  necessary  to  bridge  the  Rapidan  at  Germanna  Ford,  with  such  artillery  as 
may  be  required,  will  accompany  these  divisions,  which  will  be  followed  by  the 
remainder  of  the  corps  at  such  hour  that  the  column  will  cross  the  Rapidan  with 
out  delay.     Such  disposition  of  the  troops  and  artillery  as  may  be  found  necessary 
to  cover  the  bridge  will  be  made  by  the  corps  commander,  who,  after  crossing,  will 
move  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Old  Wilderness  Tavern,  on  the  Orange  Court  House 
pike.     The  corps  will  move  the  following  day  past  the  head  of  Catharpin  Run, 
crossing  the  Orange  Court  House  plank-road  at  Pareer's  Store. 


322  THREE    YEARS    Z3T    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  4.     Major-General  Sedgwick,  commanding  Sixth  Corps,  will  move 

at  4  A.M.  of  the  4th  instant,  by  way  of  Stevensburg  and  the  Ger- 
manna  plank-road  to  Germanna  Ford,  following  the  Fifth  Corps,  and,  after  crossing 
the  Rapidan,  will  bivouac  on  the  heights  beyond.  The  canvas  pontoon  train  will 
be  taken  up  as  soon  as  the  troops  of  the  Sixth  Corps  have  crossed,  and  will  follow 
immediately  in  rear  of  the  troops  of  that  corps.  So  much  of  the  bridge  train  of 
the  Sixth  Corps  as  may  be  necessary  to  bridge  the  Rapidan  at  Culpeper  Mine  Ford 
will  proceed  to  Richardsville  in  rear  of  the  Reserve  Artillery,  and,  as  soon  as  it  is 
ascertained  that  the  Reserve  Artillery  are  crossing,  it  will  move  to  Culpeper  Mine 
Ford,  where  the  bridge  will  be  established.  The  engineers  of  this  bridge  train 
will  at  once  open  a  road  from  Culpeper  Mine  Ford  direct  to  Richardsville. 

5.  Major-General  Hancock,  commanding  Second  Corps,  will  send  two 
divisions,  with  so  much  of  the  bridge  train  as  may  be  necessary  to  bridge  the 
Rapidan  at  Ely's  Ford,  and  such  artillery  as  may  be  required,  at  midnight  of  the 
3d  instant  to  Fly's  Ford.  The  remainder  of  the  corps  will  follow  at  such  hour 
that  the  column  will  cross  the  Rapidan  without  delay.  The  canvas  pontoon 
bridge  at  this  ford  will  be  taken  up  as  soon  as  the  troops  of  this  corps  have  passed, 
and  will  move  with  it  at  the  head  of  the  trains  that  accompany  the  troops.  The 
wooden  pontoon  bridge  will  remain.  The  Second  Corps  will  enter  the  Stevens- 
burg  and  Richardsville  road  at  Madden's,  in  order  that  the  route  from  Stevensburg 
to  the  plank-road  may  be  free  for  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps.  After  crossing  the 
Rapidan,  the  Second  Corps  will  move  to  the  vicinity  of  Chandler's  or  Chancellors- 
ville. 

6.  It  is  expected  that  the  advanced  divisions  of  the  Fifth  and  Second  Corps, 
with  the  wooden  pontoon  trains,  will  be  at  the   designated  points  of  crossing  not 
later  than  6  A.M.  of  the  4th  instant. 

7.  The  Reserve  Artillery  will  move  at  3  A.M.  of  the  4th  instant,  and  follow 
the  Second  Corps,  passing   Mountain  Run  at  Ross'  Mill  or  Hamilton's  Cross  at 
Ely's  Ford,  take  the  road  to  Chancellorsville,  and  halt   for  the  night  at  Hunting 
Creek. 

8.  Great  care  will  be   taken  by  the  corps  commanders  that  the  roads  are 
promptly  repaired  by  the  pioneers  wherever  needed,  not  only  for  the  temporary 
wants  of  the  division  or  corps  to  which  the  pioneers  belong,  but  for  the  passage 
of  the  troops  and  trains  that  follow  on  the  same  route. 

9.  During  the  movement  of  the  4th  and  following  days  the  commanders  of  the 
Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps  will  occupy  the  roads  on  the  right  flank,  to  cover  the  pas 
sage  of  their  corps,  and  will  keep  their  flankers  well  out  in  that  direction.     The 
commanders  of  the  Second  Corps,  and  Reserve  Artillery  will,  in  a  similar  man 
ner,  look  out  for  the  left  flank.     Whenever  practicable,  double  columns  will  be 
used  to  shorten  the  columns.     Corps   commanders  will  keep  in   communication 
and  connect  with   each  other,  and  cooperate  whenever  necessary.     Their  picket- 
lines  will  be  connected.      They  will  keep  the  Commanding  General  constantly 
advised  of  their  progress  and  of  everything  important  that  occurs,  and  will  send 
staff  officers  to  acquaint  him  with  the  location  of  their  headquarters.     During  the 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  323 

1864.  movement  of  the  4th  instant  headquarters  will  be  on  the  route  of  the 

Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps.       It  will   be  established  at   night  between 
these  corps  on   the  Germanna  plank-road. 

10.  The  infantry  troops  will  take  with  them  fifty  rounds  of  ammunition  upon 
the    person,  three  days'   full   rations  in  the  haversacks,    three  days'  bread   and 
small  rations  in  the  knapsacks,  and  three  days'  beef  on  the  hoof.     Each  corps 
will    take  with    it    one-half  its   infantry  ammunition,   one-half   the    intrenching 
tools,  one  hospital  wagon,  and  one  medicine  wagon  for  each   brigade ;   one  half 
the  ambulance  trains,  and  the  light  spring  wagons  and  pack  animals  allowed  at 
the  various  headquarters.     No  other  train  or  means  of  transportation  than  those 
just  specified  will  accompany  the  corps,  except  such  wagons  as  may  be  neces 
sary  for  the  forage  for  immediate  use  (five  days).     The  artillery  will  have  with 
them  the  ammunition  of  the  caissons  only. 

11.  The    subsistence    and    other  trains,  loaded   with  the  amount  of  rations, 
forage,  infantry,  and  artillery  ammunition,  etc.,  heretofore  ordered,  the  surplus 
wooden    pontoons  of   the    different    corps,    etc.,  will    be    assembled    under    the 
direction  of  the  chief  quartermaster  of  the  army  in  the  vicinity  of  Richardsville, 
with  a  view  to  crossing  the   Rapidan  by  bridges   at    Ely's  Ford  and  Culpeper 
Mine  Ford. 

12.  A  detail  of  one  thousand  or  one  thousand  two  hundred  men  will  be  made 
from  each  corps  as  guard  for  its  subsistence  and  other  trains.     This  detail  will 
be  composed  of  entire  regiments  as  far  as  practicable.     No  other  guards  what 
ever   for  regimental,    brigade,  division,  or  corps  wagons  will  be  allowed.     Each 
detail  will  be  under  the  command  of  an  officer  selected  for  that  purpose,  and  the 
whole  will  be  commanded  by  the  senior  officer  of  the  three.     This  guard  will  be 
so  disposed  as  to  protect  the  trains  on  the  march  and  in  park.    The  trains  are  like 
wise  protected  by  cavalry  on  the  flanks  and  rear. 

13.  Major-General   Sheridan,    commanding   Cavalry    Corps,    will   direct  the 
First   Cavalry   Division  to  call  in  its  pickets  and  patrols  on    the  right   on    the 
morning  of  the  4th  instant,  and  hold  itself  ready  to  move  and  cover  the  trains 
of  the  army.     It  will  picket  and  watch  the   fords  of  the  Rapidan  from  Rapidan 
Station  to  Germanna  Ford.     On  the  morning  of  the  5th  the  First  Cavalry  Division 
will  cross  the  Rapidan  at  Germanna  Ford  and  cover   the  right  flank  of  the  trains 
while  crossing  the  Rapidan  and  during  their  movements  in  rear  of  the  army.    The 
signal  stations  on  Cedar,  Pony,  and  Stony  Mountains  will  be  maintained  as  long 
as  practicable. 

14.  The  wooden  pontoon  bridges  at  Germanna  Ford   and    Ely's  Ford  will 
remain  for  the  passage  of  General  Burnside's  army.    That  at  Culpeper  Mine  Ford 
will  be  taken  up,  under  the  direction  of  the  'chief  engineer,  as  soon  as  the  trains 
have  crossed,  and  will  move  with  the  train  of  its  corps. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 
Assistant- Adjutant  General. 


324  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

• 

1864.  HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

May  3,  1864. 
[CIRCULAR.] 

GENERAL:  The  First  Division,  followed  by  the  Third,  will  move  at  midnight, 
crossing  the  Mountain  Run  at  the  double  bridge;  thence  direct  to  Stevensburg; 
thence  toward  Doggett's;  thence  about  one  mile  to  a  place  marked  "  Ruins,"  at 
which  point  an  officer  will  be  stationed ;  thence  the  road  will  be  marked  by  men 
stationed  along  the  route  to  the  plank-road ;  thence  along  the  plank-road  to 
Germanna  Ford.  The  Fourth  Division,  followed  by  the  Second,  will  proceed 
from  Culpeper,  keeping  along  the  south  side  of  Mountain  Run,  to  Stevensburg; 
thence  on  the  main  road  toward  Shepherd's  Grove  to  a  place  about  two  and  one- 
half  miles  beyond  Stevensburg,  marked  "Ruins"  on  the  map;  thence  to  the 
right,  over  a  road  to  be  marked  by  persons  on  the  ground,  to  the  plank-road; 
and  thence  to  Germanna.  These  divisions  will  be  careful  not  to  cut  into  those 
they  may  find  on  their  left,  moving  in  the  same  direction. 

The  Artillery  Brigade  will  at  midnight  move  direct  to  Stevensburg;  thence  on 
the  main  road  toward  Shepherd's  Grove  to  a  place  marked  "  Ruins  "  on  the  map; 
thence  to  the  right,  over  a  road  to  be  marked  by  persons  on  the  ground,  to  the  plank- 
road;  thence  to  Germanna  Ford.  It  will  have  precedence  over  the  Fourth  and 
Second  Divisions,  and  follow  the  First  and  Third  (each  division  having  its  train 
with  it).  Whenever  the  country  will  permit  of  different  columns  approaching 
each  other,  they  will  continue  moving  in  parallel  lines.  The  brigade  will  take 
wagons  enough  to  ensure  five  days'  forage,  one  wagon  for  sales  to  officers,  one 
wagon  and  spring  wagon  for  brigade  headquarters,  one  hospital  and  one  medicine 
wagon,  and  half  its  ambulances.  No  other  wagons  will  be  allowed.  The  rest  of 
the  train  of  all  kinds  will  be  sent  to  the  vicinity  of  Brandy  Station,  to  make  up  the 
corps  train,  which  will  have  an  especial  guard. 

The  men  will  carry  three  full  days'  rations  in  haversacks,  three  days'  bread  and 
small  rations  in  the  knapsacks,  and  three  days'  beef  on  the  hoof.  Care  will  be 
taken  that  no  fires  are  built  along  the  route,  nor  any  unusual  ones  in  the  camps, 
as  these  may  inform  the  enemy  of  our  movement.  The  troops  will  cross  the  bridge 
at  Germanna  Ford  as  fast  as  possible,  move  out  and  eat  their  breakfasts  on  the 
other  side,  and  then  continue  the  march  to  Old  Wilderness  Tavern,  taking  up 
position  there  as  fast  as  arriving,  the  First  Division  moving  up  the  turnpike, 
toward  Mine  Run,  about  one  mile.  Each  division  will  take  half  its  own  ammu 
nition  and  half  its  ambulance  train,  one  hospital  and  one  medicine  wagon  for 
each  brigade,  wagons  for  five  days'  forage,  and  one  wagon  for  headquarters  of 
each  division  and  brigade,  and  the  wagons  for  sales  to  officers.  No  other  wagons 
will  be  allowed. 

The  infantry  will  take  fifty  rounds  of  ammunition  upon  the  person,  three  days' 
full  rations  in  the  haversacks,  three  clays'  bread  and  small  rations  in  the  knap 
sacks,  and  three  clays'  beef  on  the  hoof.     General  Griffin  will  detail  a  regiment  of 
about  four  hundred  strong  to  guard  the  trains  remaining  behind;  1  the  quarter- 
1  Similar  instructions  to  General  Robinson. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  325 

1864.  master  in  charge  of  these  will  send  to  Colonel  Owen,  quartermaster 

Fifth  Corps,  in  Culpeper,  for  instructions.  Division  commanders 
will  give  instructions  to  all  their  officers  to  prevent  their  men  from  building  Hres 
along  the  line  of  march,  or  any  unusual  ones  in  camp,  so  as  to  indicate  to  the 
enemy  our  movements. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Warren, 

FRED.  T.  LOCKE, 

Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 


326  THREE    YE AES    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

1864.  WE  turned  out  at  i  AM.  and  a  little  before  3  o'clock 

Wednesday,  started  on  the  march  toward  the  Rapidan  River.  On 
the  old  maps  of  Virginia,  this  river  is  recorded  as  the 
"  Rapid  Ann."  Whether  it  was  named  for  some  woman 
whose  gait  had  a  noticeable  quickness,  or  whose  habits  were  thought 
by  her  neighbors  to  be  somewhat  skittish,  we  are  unable  to  say,  nor 
does  it  matter  much  anyhow.  One  thing  is  certain,  this  stream  had 
occupied  a  large  part  of  our  attention,  off  and  on,  for  many  months, 
and  as  we  crossed  it  once  more,  we  speculated  a  good  deal  as  to  the 
number  of  days  that  would  elapse  before  we  should  see  it  again ;  but 
it  so  happened  that  we  now  crossed  it  for  the  last  time.  "  On  to 
Richmond  "  was  once  more  the  cry.  Joined  the  Second  Division  of 
the  Fifth  Corps  near  Culpeper,  continuing  our  march,  crossing  the 
river  at  Germanna  Ford,  halting  at  3.30  P.M.  on  the  south  side  of 
the  plank-road  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Robertson's  tavern. 
The  weather  was  hot  and  the  roads  dusty.  The  distance  covered 
was  twenty-two  miles.  The  whole  army  was  on  the  move,  and  an 
imposing  spectacle  it  must  have  been  to  the  looker-on.  The  men 
carried  six  days'  rations.  Two  and  a  half  months  more  and  we 
should  be  marching  toward  Boston  unless  we  took  up  our  residence, 
before  that  time,  in  the  "  promised  land." 

Few  persons,  even  soldiers,  have  any  idea  of  the  size  of  a  wagon 
train  required  to  feed,  clothe,  and  provide  ammunition  for  an  army 
numbering  a  hundred  thousand  men,  say  nothing  of  the  ambulances, 
the  wagons  for  transporting  the  hospital  stores,  the  baggage  of 
officers,  and  the  books  and  papers  necessary  to  each  regiment.  It 
is  said  that  General  Grant's  wagon  train  if  stretched  out  in  a  con 
tinuous  line  would  reach  a  distance  of  one  hundred  miles.  It  was  an 
interesting  sight  to  see  a  "wagon  park."  Five  hundred  wagons, 


MAP    N9  16 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  327 

1864.  arranged  in  lines  as  straight  as  soldiers  on  dress  parade, 

were  frequently  to  be  seen  at  the  headquarters  of  the 
chief  quartermaster,  where  also  might  be  seen  harness-makers, 
wheelwrights'  repair-shops,  blacksmiths,  and  horseshoers,  all  in  full 
operation,  where  hundreds  of  horses  and  mules  were  shod  every 
month,  and  wagons  and  harnesses  repaired. 

A  park  of  five  hundred  wagons  meant  a  collection  of  not  less  than 
two  thousand  mules.  Multiply  the  noise  made  by  one  mule  by  two 
thousand,  and  you  can  judge  how  little  chance  there  is  for  sleep 
within  a  radius  of  ten  miles. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

May  4,  1864. 

SOLDIERS:  Again  you  are  called  upon  to  advance  on  the  enemies  of  your 
country.  The  time  and  the  occasion  are  deemed  opportune  by  your  commanding 
general  to  address  you  a  few  words  of  confidence  and  caution.  You  have  been 
reorganized,  strengthened,  and  fully  equipped  in  every  respect.  You  form  a  part 
of  the  several  armies  of  your  country,  the  whole  under  the  direction  of  an  able 
and  distinguished  general,  who  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the  Government,  the 
people,  and  the  army.  Your  movement  being  in  cooperation  with  others,  it  is  of 
the  utmost  importance  that  no  effort  should  be  left  unspared  to  make  it  successful. 
Soldiers !  the  eyes  of  the  whole  country  are  looking  with  anxious  hope  to  the 
blow  you  are  about  to  strike  in  the  most  sacred  cause  that  ever  called  men  to  arms. 

Remember  your  homes,  your  wives  and  children,  and  bear  in  mind  that  the 
sooner  your  enemies  are  overcome  the  sooner  you  will  be  returned  to  enjoy  the 
benefits  and  blessings  of  peace.  Bear  with  patience  the  hardships  and  sacrifices 
you  will  be  colled  upon  to  endure. 

Have  confidence  in  your  officers  and  in  each  other.  Keep  your  ranks  on  the 
march  and  on  the  battlefield,  and  let  each  man  earnestly  implore  God's  blessing, 
and  endeavor  by  his  thoughts  and  actions  to  render  himself  worthy  of  the  favor 
he  seeks.  With  clear  consciences  and  strong  arms,  actuated  by  a  high  sense  of 
duty,  fighting  to  preserve  the  Government  and  the  institutions  handed  down  to  us 
by  our  forefathers  —  if  true  to  ourselves  —  victory,  under  God's  blessing,  must  and 
will  attend  our  efforts. 

GEO.   G.   MEADE, 
Major-  General  Commanding. 

Thursday          •^t  (layugnt  this  morning,  the  march  was  resumed  in 
May  5.       obedience  to  the  following  order : 


328  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

May  4,  1864,  6  P.M. 

Major-General  Warren,  commanding  Fifth  Corps,  will  move  at  5  A.M.  to  Par 
ker's  store,  on  the  Orange  Court  House  plank-road,  and  extend  his  right  towards 
the  Sixth  Corps  at  Old  Wilderness  tavern. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL   MEADE. 

We  marched  about  two  miles  and  halted  in  line  of  battle.  We 
were  soon  sent  to  support  Griffin's  division.  Early  in  the  afternoon, 
after  several  unimportant  changes,  we  took  a  position  in  the  first  line 
of  battle  on  the  extreme  left,  in  the  thick  woods  and  underbrush. 
Here  the  regiment  became  seriously  annoyed  by  the  enemy's  skir 
mishers  on  our  flank  and  rear.  Skirmishers  were  sent  to  cover  our 
left  flank,  which  was  seriously  exposed,  and  very  soon  they  became 
engaged  with  the  enemy.  A  charge  was  made  on  our  front  by  the 
enemy  and  repulsed.  The  rebels  retiring,  the  line  advanced  and 
changed  front.  At  the  same  time  our  skirmishers  on  the  flank  were 
attacked  with  renewed  vigor  and  fell  back ;  finding  themselves  iso 
lated  from  the  main  line,  they  returned  to  the  earthworks  in  their 
rear.  We  had  one  officer  and  eight  men  wounded.  Just  before 
going  into  action  in  the  morning,  Generals  Grant  and  Meade  rode 
up  to  observe  our  position,  etc.,  the  bullets  kicking  up  a  dust  all 
about  them. 

Our  skirmishers,  who  became  lost  in  the  woods  yester- 
Friday,         day,  returned  to  the  brigade  this  morning. 
May  6-  In  the   forenoon,  we  moved  forward  a  short  distance 

and  halted  without  seeing  the  enemy.  In  the  afternoon 
we  marched  to  the  left,  three  miles,  and  began  building  earthworks, 
while  the  men  not  so  engaged  kept  up  a  lively  skirmish  firing  with 
the  enemy.  We  lost  an  officer  who  was  mortally  wounded. 

During  the  day,  we  saw  the  Fifty- sixth,  Fifty-seventh,  Fifty-eighth, 
and  Fifty-ninth  Massachusetts  regiments  just  out  from  home.  We 
also  saw  several  of  our  boys  who  had  received  commissions  in  the 
Fifty-ninth.  Our  morning  report  to-day  showed  one  hundred  and 
sixty- nine  men  on  duty. 

Our  corps  (the  Fifth)  suffered  a  severe  loss  to-day  by  the  death 


THIRTEENTH    MASS,     VOLS.  329 

1864.  of  General  Wadsvvorth,  commander  of  the  Fourth  Divi 

sion.  We  have  avoided,  as  much  as  possible,  the  mention 
of  officers  not  immediately  connected  with  us,  but  General  Wadsvvorth 
is  an  exception.  Few  officers  in  the  army  possessed  greater  quali 
fications  to  excite  the  admiration  of  soldiers.  We  first  saw  him  at 
Fredericksburg  in  December,  1862,  and  almost  daily  thereafter,  until 
we  were  established  in  our  winter  quarters  at  Mitchell's  Station.  We 
had  read  in  the  newspapers  accounts  of  some  of  his  patriotic  services 
in  behalf  of  his  government,  but  the  one  that  appealed  most  strongly 
to  our  young  minds  was  that  of  serving  without  pay.  To  see  a  man 
nearly  sixty  years  of  age  disregarding  the  pleasures  and  comforts  that 
opulence  can  confer,  and  which  are  so  very  desirable  at  his  age, 
ignoring  the  risks  to  health,  or  danger  to  life,  to  enter  the  service  of 
his  country,  was  an  extraordinary  example  of  patriotism,  and  would 
have  made  him  a  marked  figure  in  any  army. 

During  the  absence  of  General  Newton  after  the  battle  of  Gettys 
burg,  he  commanded  the  First  Corps  until  we  crossed  the  Potomac 
River  into  Virginia,  and  we  felt  rather  proud  of  serving  under  a  man 
of  such  lofty  patriotism.  In  the  first  day's  fight  at  Gettysburg,  he 
was  conspicuous  for  the  courage  and  gallantry  he  showed  where 
fighting  was  the  hardest,  and  strengthened  the  attachment  which  we 
already  felt  for  him  as  an  officer. 

He  was  born  in  Genesee,  N.Y.,  October  30,  1807,  and  was  edu 
cated  at  Harvard  and  Yale  colleges,  after  which  he  studied  law  in 
Albany,  N.Y.,  completing  his  course  with  Daniel  Webster.  Though 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1833,  he  never  practised  his  profession,  as  his 
time  was  wholly  occupied  with  the  management  of  his  family  estate 
in  western  New  York.  Although  a  Democrat,  he  supported  the 
Free-Soil  party  of  1848,  and  continued  to  act  in  defence  of  the  anti- 
slavery  movement,  being  presidential  elector  in  1856,  and  again  in 
1860.  When  communication  was  cut  off  with  the  capital,  which 
happened  for  a  short  time  in  1861,  he  chartered  two  ships  on  his 
own  responsibility,  loaded  them  with  provisions,  and  went  with  them 
to  Annapolis,  where  he  superintended  their  delivery.  He  was  a 
volunteer  aid  on  the  staff  of  General  McDowell  at  the  first  battle  of 
Bull  Run,  where  he  was  commended  for  his  bravery  and  humanity. 


330  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  On  the  9th  of  August  following  he  was  appointed  a 

brigadier-general  of  volunteers,  and  assigned  to  duty  under 
General  McClellan.  On  March  15,  1862,  he  became  military  gover 
nor  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year 
was  the  Republican  candidate  for  governor  of  New  York,  but  was  de 
feated  by  Horatio  Seymour.  In  December,  1862,  he  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  a  division  under  General  Burnside,  taking  part 
in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg.  He  displayed  great  skill  as  com 
mander  of  the  First  Division  of  the  First  Corps  at  Gettysburg,  his 
troops  being  the  first  that  engaged  the  enemy  in  the  first  day's  fight. 
On  the  reorganization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  the  spring  of 
1864,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Fourth  Division  of  the 
Fifth  Corps. 

While  rallying  his  troops,  he  was  struck  in  the  head  by  a  bullet, 
and  before  he  could  be  removed  the  enemy  had  gained  possession 
of  the  ground  where  he  laid.  Although  unconscious,  he  lingered  for 
two  days.  Horace  Greeley,  in  his  "American  Conflict,"  says: 
"  The  country's  salvation  claimed  no  nobler  sacrifice  than  that  of 
Gen.  James  S.  Wadsworth,  of  New  York.  No  one  surrendered  more 
for  his  country's  sake,  or  gave  his  life  more  joyfully  for  her  deliver 
ance." 

During  our  march  from  Gettysburg  to  Williamsport  an  incident  oc 
curred,  which,  though  of  trivial  importance,  made  a  deep  impression 
on  the  minds  of  those  who  were  a  witness  to  it.  We  had  halted  for  a 
rest,  when  General  Wadsworth  made  his  appearance.  Seeing  one  of 
the  boys  without  shoes  he  stopped  his  horse  and  called  to  a  citizen, 
who  was  standing  near  by,  and  asked  him  if  he  was  a  Union  man, 
and  the  man  answering  that  he  was,  the  general  told  him  to  take  off 
his  boots  and  give  them  to  that  barefooted  soldier,  adding,  "  It  won't 
hurt  you  to  do  that  much  for  your  country."  Having  waited  long 
enough  to  see  his  order  carried  out  he  passed  along.  There  was  so 
much  sincerity,  so  much  tender  solicitude  for  the  soldier,  expressed 
in  his  manner,  and  the  tone  of  his  voice,  that  the  scene  is  not  likely 
to  be  forgotten  by  those  who  were  a  witness  to  it. 

In  the  very  interesting  book,  "  Personal  Reminiscences,"  by  L.  E. 
Chittenden,  who  was  Register  of  the  Treasury  during  the  adminis- 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  331 

1864.  tration  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  may  be  found  a  sketch  of  General 

Wadsworth,  of  which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

IVadsworth  fell  yesterday.  He  is  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  either  dead  or 
mortally  wounded. 

I  remember  now  the  sharp  pang  of  sorrow  that  went  through  my  heart  when 
this  despatch  was  laid  on  my  table;  for  James  S.  Wadsworth  was  a  lovable  man, 
my  model  of  the  very  best  type  of  the  citizen  of  a  free  republic.  I  first  knew 
him  in  the  Peace  Conference.  He  was  then  in  the  prime  of  life,  with  a  magnifi 
cent  physique,  an  open,  frank  face,  a  kind  heart,  and  a  fearless  soul.  After  our 
call  upon  President  Buchanan,  he  regarded  our  mission  in  the  conference  as 
ended.  He  said  to  James  A.  Seddon,  of  Virginia,  "  Why  do  you  persist  in  your 
attempt  to  deceive  the  North?  You  secessionists  mean  fight !  You  will  keep 
right  on  with  your  treasonable  schemes  until  you  either  whip  us  or  we  discipline 
you.  I  shall  stay  here  until  Congress  adjourns  on  the  third  of  March,  because  I 
cannot  honorably  resign  from  the  conference.  Then  I  shall  go  home  and  help 
my  people  to  get  ready  for  the  war  in  which  you  slaveholders  intend  to  involve 
the  Republic." 

After  the  conference  I  heard  no  more  of  Wadsworth  until,  among  the  first 
of  the  seventy-five  thousand,  he  appeared  in  Washington  with  a  full  regiment  of 
his  neighbors  from  the  Genesee  Valley.  They  came  so  promptly,  it  was  said,  be 
cause  they  were  armed  and  clothed  by  Wadsworth  himself.  ...  I  loved 
James  S.  Wadsworth.  Here  is  what  I  wrote  of  him  when  he  fell  in  May,  1864: 
"  In  the  Peace  Conference  or  in  the  world  there  was  never  a  purer  or  more 
unselfish  patriot.  Those  of  us  who  were  associated  with  him  politically  had 
learned  to  love  and  respect  him.  His  adversaries  admired  his  unflinching  de 
votion  to  his  country  and  his  manly  frankness  and  candor.  He  was  the  type  of  a 
true  American,  able,  unselfish,  prudent,  unambitious,  and  good.  Other  pens  will 
do  justice  to  his  memory,  but  I  thought,  as  I  heard  the  last  account  of  him  alive, 
as  he  lay  within  the  rebel  lines,  his  face  wearing  that  serenity  which  grew  more 
beautiful  the  nearer  death  approached,  that  the  good  and  true  men  of  the  nation 
would  prize  their  government  more  highly  when  they  remembered  that  it  could 
only  be  maintained  by  such  sacrifices." 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

VIA  ORANGE  COURT  HOUSE,  May  6,  1864,  8  P.M. 
(Received  Richmond,  4.45  P.M.,  yth.) 
SECRETARY  OF  WAR: 

Early  this  morning  as  the  divisions  of  General  Hill,  engaged  yesterday,  were 
being  relieved,  the  enemy  advanced  and  created  some  confusion.  The  ground 
lost  was  recovered  as  soon  as  the  fresh  troops  got  into  position,  and  the  enemy 
driven  back  to  his  original  line.  Afterward  we  turned  the  left  of  his  front  line 
and  drove  it  from  the  field,  leaving  a  large  number  of  dead  and  wounded  in  our 


332  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  hands,    among   them    General    Wadsworth.     A   subsequent  attack 

forced  the  enemy  into  his  intrenched  lines  on  the  Brock  Road, 
extending  from  Wilderness  Tavern,  on  the  right  to  Trigg's  Mill.  Every  advance 
on  his  part,  thanks  to  a  merciful  God,  has  been  repulsed.  Our  loss  in  killed 
is  not  large,  but  we  have  many  wounded;  most  of  them  slightly,  artillery  being 
little  used  on  either  side.  I  grieve  to  announce  that  Lieutenant-General  Long- 
street  was  severely  wounded  and  General  Jenkins  killed.  General  Pegram  was 
badly  wounded  yesterday.  General  Stafford,  it  is  hoped,  will  recover. 

R.  E.  LEE. 

We   remained  in  the   earthworks  until  4  P.M.,  when 

Saturday,      we  were  withdrawn    to  a  hill  looking  down  upon  the 

May  7.          junction  of  the  Orange  pike  and  the  plank-road.    Rations 

of  fresh  meat  were  issued,  large  fires  were    built,  and 

coffee  cooked. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

May  7,  1864,3  P-M. 
(Extract.) 

At  8.30  P.M.,  Major-General  Warren,  commanding  Fifth  Corps,  will  move  to 
Spottsylvania  Court  House,  by  way  of  Brock  Road  and  Todd's  Tavern. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE. 

In  obedience  to  this  order,  at  9  P.M.  we  started  for  Spottsylvania 
Court  House,  and  marched  all  night.  As  we  passed  along  in  the 
rear  of  the  rifle-pits,  we  noticed  the  tired  soldiers  fast  asleep  on  the 
ground,  oblivious  to  the  steady  tramp  of  soldiers  who  were  march 
ing  within  a  few  yards  of  them.  We  wished  we  were  in  the  same 
blissful  state.  Finally  the  extreme  left  of  the  line  was  reached  when 
we  entered  a  narrow,  crooked  road  in  the  woods  which  were  dark  as 
a  pocket.  Silently  and  stealthily  the  trail  was  followed  in  single  file, 
and  with  great  care,  as  the  path  became  obscured.  We  were  now  in 
the  heart  of  the  Wilderness.  Instructions  were  whispered  along  from 
the  head  of  the  line  to  "jump  the  run  ;  "  "look  out  for  the  log,"  etc., 
with  cautionary  orders  not  to  lose  connection  with  each  other,  nor  to 
get  out  of  the  path.  In  this  way  we  noiselessly  marched  until  nearly 
daylight,  when  a  halt  was  made,  and  the  men,  tired  out,  threw  them 
selves  on  the  ground  for  rest  or  sleep.  We  had  overtaken  the  cavalry 
which  was  in  advance,  and  now  waited  for  daylight,  having  marched 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  333 

1864.  only  twelve  miles,  owing  to   the  difficulties  we  encoun 

tered  on  the  way.     We  were  now  within  four  miles  of 
Spottsylvania  Court  House. 

When  daylight  afforded  us  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
Sunday,  each  other's  faces,  it  was  impossible  to  restrain  our  laugh- 
May  8.  ter  at  the  comical  appearance  we  presented.  The  woods 
where  we  halted  had  been  burned  over  by  the  fire  which 
had  been  raging  for  twenty-four  hours  previously,  making  a  bed  of 
black  ashes  which  stuck  to  our  perspiring  faces,  so  that,  on  waking, 
we  looked  more  like  drivers  of  charcoal  wagons  than  soldiers. 

Little  time  was  granted  us  for  rest.  Some  were  hastily  cooking  their 
coffee  while  others  were  engaged  in  removing  the  black  from  their 
faces,  when  we  were  hurried  forward,  our  division  being  in  the 
advance.  It  was  now  learned  that  both  armies  were  hastening  to 
Spottsylvania  Court  House.  Our  present  position  was  near  Todd's 
Tavern,  north-east  from  the  town.  The  cavalry  under  General  Sheri 
dan  opened  the  fight  and  were  soon  relieved  by  our  (General  Rob 
inson's)  division.  As  we  passed  out  of  the  woods  we  charged  the 
wooded  hill  in  front,  occupied  by  rebel  dismounted  cavalry,  who 
retreated  as  we  advanced,  making  a  stand  on  another  wooded  hill 
half  a  mile  beyond.  Here  they  kept  up  a  brisk  fire,  aided  by  artil 
lery.  Another  charge  was  ordered,  and  up  the  hill  we  double- 
quicked,  driving  the  enemy  from  the  crest  across  an  open  plain. 
We  were  told  by  General  Warren  that  we  should  find  nothing  but 
dismounted  cavalry,  but  instead,  we  found  Longstreet's  corps.  A 
section  of  a  battery  was  discovered  to  the  south  and  east  of  us  that 
had  been  used  to  retard  our  advance.  The  "  Johnnies  "  were  busy 
getting  it  away,  so  we  directed  our  fire  toward  the  group  of  men  and 
horses,  hoping  to  capture  it.  A  company  of  cavalry  now  rode  out 
from  the  woods  on  the  flank  and  hailed  the  battery.  We  supposed 
it  to  be  Union  cavalry  demanding  its  surrender,  and  consequently 
reserved  our  fire.  We  soon  discovered  our  error  as  we  saw  them 
running  off  the  battery  with  drag  ropes,  whereupon  we  resumed  our 
firing,  but  were  unable  to  prevent  their  securing  the  gun. 

A  halt  of  a  few  minutes  now  took  place,  while  we  returned  the  fire 
from  still  another  hill  on  the  Alsop  farm.  Soon  we  received  an  order 


334  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  from  General  Robinson  to  advance  on  the  double-quick 

over  the  plain.  It  was  obeyed  as  well  as  it  was  possible 
for  men  to  obey  after  two  previous  charges  following  an  all-night  march. 
There  wasn't  any  double-quick  in  us.  Though  nearly  played  out,  we 
slowly  advanced,  while  the  rebel  skirmishers  fell  back  to  the  crest  of 
Laurel  Hill.  The  firing  from  the  rebel  line  behind  earthworks  on  the 
hill  now  became  general,  and  although  the  men  of  our  division  (the 
Second)  were  exhausted,  yet  we  mustered  strength  enough  to  make 
another  charge  on  this  division  of  rebel  infantry.  As  we  advanced, 
the  firing  became  more  effective.  The  foot  of  the  hill  was  gained. 
As  the  Thirteenth  was  picking  its  way  through  the  abatis  and  under 
brush,  shouting  was  heard  in  our  rear.  On  looking  back,  we  saw  a 
whole  brigade  of  rebels  in  line  of  battle,  swinging  round  from  the 
rebel  right  flank.  A  general  retreat  was  taking  place  among  our 
troops  in  the  rear,  so  we  followed  suit  by  taking  a  circuitous  route  to 
avoid  the  rebel  line  which  was  preparing  to  capture  us.  Upon 
reaching  the  hill  from  which  we  advanced  we  halted  and  made  a 
stand.  Our  loss  so  far  was  one  officer  killed  and  one  wounded,  and 
fourteen  men  wounded  and  twelve  missing  —  probably  captured. 
The  staff  of  the  national  colors  was  shattered  by  a  solid  shot.  During 
the  repulse,  General  Warren  took  the  flag  with  its  shattered  staff  to 
rally  a  Maryland  brigade,  a  picture  of  which  appeared  in  "  Harper's 
Weekly  "  for  1864,  page  372. 

At  night  we  were  moved  out  in  front  of  the  earthworks  and  laid 
on  our  arms. 

During  the  day  the  heat  was  intense. 

General  Robinson,  our  division  commander,  lost  a  leg  in  the  fight 
to-day.  He  was  a  real  loss  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  as  he 
ranked  very  high,  being  considered  one  of  the  bravest  as  well  as  one 
of  the  most  efficient  officers  in  the  army.  While  we  recognized  in 
him  the  qualities  of  a  brave,  upright,  and  clear-headed  soldier, 
candor  compels  us  to  say  that  the  feeling  of  regard  that  many  of  us 
felt  for  him  was  not  unanimous.  We  were  not  always  just  in  our 
estimation  of  division  commanders.  We  had  an  impression  for  a 
while  that  he  didn't  like  us, —  this  was  a  mistake.  He  hedged  him 
self  with  so  much  strict  official  dignity,  that  he  concealed  many  of  the 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  335 

1864.  good  qualities  he  possessed.     It  took  a  long  time  for  us 

to  work  up  the  regard  which  was  natural  for  us  to  feel  for 
a  brave  and  gallant  officer,  such  as  we  knew  him  to  be.  We  had  been 
eye-witnesses  to  his  bravery  and  intelligence  on  plenty  of  occasions, 
and  to  us  he  was  always  "  Old  Reliable."  We  got  to  like  him  very 
much,  and  the  fondness  which  we  felt  has  grown  with  years,  so  that 
to-day  we  gladly  associate  his  name  with  Hartsuff  and  Reynolds,  two 
officers  for  whom,  as  already  stated,  the  regiment  had  a  great  ad 
miration. 

We  make  the  following  quotations  from  General  Grant's  Memoirs 
respecting  this  campaign  : 

More  desperate  fighting  has  not  been  witnessed  on  this  continent  than  that  of 
the  5th  and  6th  of  May.  Our  victory  consisted  in  having  successfully  crossed  a 
formidable  stream,  almost  in  the  face  of  an  enemy,  and  in  getting  the  army 
together  as  a  unit. 

It  may  be  as  well  here  as  elsewhere  to  state  two  things  connected  with  all 
movements  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac :  first,  in  every  change  of  position  or 
halt  for  the  night,  whether  confronting  the  enemy  or  not,  the  moment  arms  were 
stacked,  the  men  intrenched  themselves.  For  this  purpose  they  would  build  up 
piles  of  logs  or  rails  if  they  could  be  found  in  their  front,  and  dig  a  ditch,  throw 
ing  the  dirt  forward  on  the  timber.  Thus  the  digging  they  did  counted  in  making 
a  depression  to  stand  in,  and  increased  the  elevation  in  front  of  them.  It  is 
wonderful  how  quickly  they  could  in  this  way  construct  defences  of  considerable 
strength.  When  a  halt  was  made  with  a  view  of  assaulting  the  enemy,  or  in  his 
presence,  these  would  be  strengthened,  or  their  positions  changed  under  the 
direction  of  engineer  officers.  The  second  was,  the  use  made  of  the  telegraph  and 
signal  corps.  Nothing  could  be  more  complete  than  the  organization  and  discipline 
of  this  body  of  brave  and  intelligent  men.  Insulated  wires  —  insulated  so  that 
they  would  transmit  messages  in  a  storm,  on  the  ground  or  under  water  —  were 
wound  upon  reels,  making  about  two  hundred  pounds  of  wire  to  each  reel.  Two 
men  and  one  mule  were  detailed  to  each  reel.  The  pack-saddle  on  which  this 
was  carried  was  provided  with  a  rack  like  a  sawbuck  placed  crosswise  of  the 
saddle,  and  raised  above  it  so  that  the  reel,  with  its  wire,  would  revolve  freely. 
There  was  a  wagon  supplied  with  a  telegraph  operator,  battery,  and  telegraph 
instruments  for  each  division,  each  corps,  each  army,  and  one  for  my  headquar 
ters.  There  were  wagons  also  loaded  with  light  poles,  about  the  size  and  length 
of  a  wall  tent  pole,  supplied  with  an  iron  spike  in  one  end,  used  to  hold  the 
wires  up  when  laid,  so  that  wagons  and  artillery  would  not  run  over  them.  The 
mules  thus  loaded  were  assigned  to  brigades,  and  always  kept  with  the  command 


336  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  they  werfe  assigned  to.     The  operators  were  also  assigned  to  par 

ticular  headquarters,  and  never  changed  except  by  special  orders. 
The  moment  the  troops  were  put  in  position  to  go  into  camp  all  the  men  con 
nected  with  this  branch  of  the  service  would  proceed  to  put  up  their  wires.  A 
mule  loaded  with  a  coil  of  wire  would  be  led  to  the  rear  of  the  nearest  flank  of 
the  brigade  he  belonged  to,  and  would  be  led  in  a  line  parallel  thereto,  while 
one  man  would  hold  an  end  of  the  wire  and  uncoil  it  as  the  mule  was  led  off. 
When  he  had  walked  the  length  of  the  wire  the  whole  of  it  would  be  on  the 
ground.  This  would  be  done  in  the  rear  of  every  brigade  at  the  same  time. 
The  ends  of  all  the  wires  would  then  be  joined,  making  a  continuous  wire  in  the 
rear  of  the  whole  army.  The  men  attached  to  brigades  or  divisions  would  all 
commence  at  once  raising  the  wires  with  their  telegraph  poles.  This  was  done  by 
making  a  loop  in  the  wire  and  putting  it  over  the  spike  and  raising  the  pole  to  a 
perpendicular  position.  At  intervals  the  wire  would  be  attached  to  trees,  or  some 
other  permanent  object,  so  that  one  pole  was  sufficient  to  a  place.  In  absence  of 
such  a  support  two  poles  would  have  to  be  used,  at  intervals,  placed  at  an  angle 
so  as  to  hold  the  wire  firm  in  place.  While  this  was  being  done  the  telegraph 
wagons  would  take  their  positions  near  where  the  headquarters  they  belonged  to 
were  to  be  established,  and  would  connect  with  the  wires.  Thus,  in  a  few  minutes 
longer  than  it  took  a  mule  to  walk  the  length  of  its  coil,  telegraphic  communica 
tion  would  be  effected  between  all  the  headquarters  of  the  army.  No  orders  ever 
had  to  be  given  to  establish  the  telegraph. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  yth,  I  received  news  from  Washington  announcing  that 
Sherman  had  probably  attacked  Johnston  that  day,  and  that  Butler  had  reached  City 
Point  safely,  and  taken  it  by  surprise  on  the  5th.  I  had  given  orders  for  a  move 
ment  by  the  left  flank,  fearing  that  Lee  might  move  more  rapidly  to  Richmond 
to  crush  Butler  before  I  could  get  there. 

My  order  for  this  movement  was  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMIES  OF  THE  U.S., 

May  7,  1864,  6.30  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE,  Commanding  A. P.  : 

Make  all  preparations  during  the  day  for  a  night  march,  to  take  position  at 
Spottsylvania  Court  House  with  one  army  corps,  at  Todd's  Farm  with  one,  and 
another  near  the  intersection  of  the  Piney  Branch  and  Spottsylvania  Road  with  the 
road  from  Alsop's  to  Old  Court  House.  If  this  move  is  made  the  trains  should 
be  thrown  forward  early  in  the  morning  to  the  Ny  River. 

I  think  it  would  be  advisable  in  making  the  change  to  leave  Hancock  where 
he  is  until  Warren  passes  him.  He  could  then  follow  and  become  the  right  of 
the  new  line.  Burnside  will  move  to  Piney  Branch  Church.  Sedgewick  can 
move  along  the  pike  to  Chancellorsville,  and  on  to  his  destination.  Burnside  will 
move  on  the  plank-road  to  the  intersection  of  it  with  the  Orange  and  Fredericks- 
burg  plank-road,  then  follow  Sedgewick  to  his  place  of  destination. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  337 

1864.  All  vehicles  should  be  got  out  of  hearing  of  the  enemy  before  the 

troops  move,  and  then  move  off  quietly. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  enemy  concentrate  for  a  heavy  attack  on 
Hancock  this  afternoon.  In  case  they  do,  we  must  be  prepared  to  resist  them, 
and  follow  up  any  success  we  may  gain  with  our  whole  force.  Such  a  result 
would  necessarily  modify  these  instructions. 

All  the  hospitals  should  be  moved  to-day  to  Chancellorsville. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Lieutenant  General. 

My  object  in  moving  to  Spottsylvania  was  twofold :  first,  I  did  not  want  Lee 
to  get  back  to  Richmond  in  time  to  attempt  to  crush  Butler  before  I  could  get 
there;  second,  I  wanted  to  get  between  his  army  and  Richmond  if  possible;  and, 
if  not,  to  draw  him  into  the  open  field.  But  Lee,  by  accident,  beat  us  to  Spottsyl 
vania.  Our  wagon-trains  had  been  ordered  easterly  of  the  roads  the  troops  were 
to  march  upon  before  the  movement  commenced.  Lee  interpreted  this  as  a  semi- 
retreat  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  Fredericksburg,  and  so  informed  his  gov 
ernment.  Accordingly  he  ordered  Longstreet's  corps — now  commanded  by 
Anderson  —  to  move  in  the  morning  (the  8th)  to  Spottsylvania.  But  the  woods 
being  still  on  fire,  Anderson  could  not  go  into  bivouac,  and  marched  directly  on  to 
his  destination  that  night.  By  this  accident  Lee  got  possession  of  Spottsylvania. 
It  is  impossible  to  say  now  what  would  have  been  the  result  if  Lee's  orders  had 
been  obeyed  as  given;  but  it  is  certain  that  we  would  have  been  in  Spottsylvania, 
and  between  him  and  his  capital.  My  belief  is  that  there  would  have  been  a  race 
between  the  two  armies  to  see  which  could  reach  Richmond  first,  and  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  would  have  had  the  shorter  line.  Tnus,  twice  since  crossing  the 
Rapidan,  we  came  near  closing  the  campaign,  so  far  as  battles  were  concerned, 
from  the  Rapidan  to  the  James  River,  or  Richmond.  The  first  failure  was  caused 
by  our  not  following  up  the  success  gained  over  Hill's  corps  on  the  morning  of 
the  6th,  as  before  described;  the  second,  when  fires  caused  by  that  battle,  drove 
Anderson  to  make  a  march  during  the  night  of  the  7th-8th,  which  he  was  ordered 
to  commence  on  the  morning  of  the  8th.  But  accident  often  decides  the  fate  of 
battle. 

Moved  from  our  position  in  the  centre  to  the  right, 
Monday,  halting  three  times  to  build  earthworks.  Were  placed  on 
May  9.  the  skirmish  line  with  the  "  Bucktails,"  taking  part  with 
the  corps  in  its  grand  charge.  After  dark  we  again 
advanced,  driving  the  enemy  back,  after  which  we  threw  up  more 
earthworks. 

Fifty  men  of  the  regiment  were  detailed  for  skirmish 
Tuesday,  juty  on  tiie  brow  Qf  a  faft  -m  front  of  Battery  D  of  the 

Fifth  U.S.  Artillery.     The  position  was  uncomfortable, 


338  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  being  swept  by  the  artillery  of  both  armies.  Forty  men 

were  detailed  to  carry  ammunition  up  to  the  line  during 
a  charge. 

During  the  day  an  order  was  received  for  the  brigade  to  charge ; 
and  the  unusual  occurrence  happened  with  our  regiment  that  in  that 
charge  we  had  no  enlisted  men,  all  of  them  being  detailed  away, 
leaving  none  but  commissioned  and  non-commissioned  officers  to 
obey  the  order. 

We  had  ten  men  wounded  on  the  skirmish  line.  It  was  a  hard 
day's  work.  During  the  day  General  Grant  and  his  aids  and  order 
lies  rode  up  to  our  line  to  make  observations.  While  he  was  intently 
watching  the  battle  through  his  field-glasses  a  piece  of  shell  struck 
the  head  of  one  of  his  orderly's  horses,  carrying  away  a  portion  of  it, 
causing  the  horse  to  plunge  madly  about,  creating  a  great  panic 
among  the  other  horses.  During  it  all  the  general  remained  as 
unconcerned  as  if  nothing  had  happened,  not  even  removing  the 
glasses  from  his  eyes. 

General  Lee  made  the  following  report  of  the  doings  of  the  rebel 
army  : 

SPOTTSYLVANIA  COURT-HOUSE,  May  10,  1864. 
(Via  Guiney's,  nth.     Received  2.45  P.M.) 
HON.  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  : 

General  Grant's  army  is  intrenched  near  this  place  on  both  sides  of  the  Brock 
Road.  Frequent  skirmishing  occurred  yesterday  and  to-day,  each  army  endeavor 
ing  to  discover  the  position  of  the  other.  To-day  the  enemy  shelled  our  lines 
and  made  several  assaults  with  infantry  against  different  points,  particularly  on  our 
left,  held  by  Gen.  R.  H.  Anderson.  The  last,  which  occurred  after  sunset,  was 
the  most  obstinate,  some  of  the  enemy  leaping  over  the  breastworks.  They 
were  easily  repulsed,  except  in  front  of  Doles'  brigade,  where  they  drove  our 
men  from  their  position  and  from  a  four-^un  battery  there  posted.  The  men  were 
soon  rallied,  and  by  dark  our  line  was  reestablished  and  the  battery  recovered.  A 
large  body  of  the  enemy  moved  around  our  left  on  the  evening  of  the  gth  and 
took  possession  of  the  road  about  midway  between  Shady  Grove  Church  and  the 
Court-House.  General  Early,  with  a  part  of  A.  P.  Hill's  corps,  drove  them  back 
this  evening,  taking  one  gun  and  a  few  prisoners.  Thanks  to  a  merciful  Provi 
dence  our  casualties  have  been  small.  Among  the  wounded  are  Brig.-Gens.  H.  T. 
Hays  and  H.  H.  Walker. 

R.    E.    LEE. 

(Same  to  the  President  and  General  Bragg.) 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  339 

1864.  The  brigade   morning  report  showed  five  regiments 

Wednesday, Wjtj1  onjy  ^^  men.  Our  brigade  lost  more  men  yester 
day  than  any  other  in  the  division,  but  our  regiment's 
loss  was  slight. 

The  Thirteenth  had  one  hundred  and  seven  guns  this  morning. 
We  lost  one  man  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell  which  landed  in  our 
midst. 

We  moved  into  earthworks,  near  General  Warren's  headquarters, 
during  a  thunder-storm  in  the  afternoon. 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT,  C.  S.  A., 

RICHMOND,  VA.,  May  u,  1864. 
GEN.  R.  E.  LEE,  Spottsylvania  Court-House,  via  Guiney's,  Va.  : 

Hoke's  brigade  left  Petersburg  this  morning  with  other  troops  to  effect  if  pos 
sible  a  junction  with  Ransom  at  Chester.  I  have  been  painfully  anxious  to  send 
your  troops  to  you,  but  unaccountable  delays  have  occurred,  and  we  have  been 
sorely  pressed  by  enemy  on  south  side.  Are  now  threatened  by  their  cavalry  on 
the  Brook  turnpike  and  Westham  Road.  I  go  to  look  after  defence.  Will  have 
supplies  attended  to  at  once,  and  as  soon  as  possible  send  troops  to  you.  May 
God  have  you  in  His  holy  keeping  and  support  your  efforts  for  your  country's 
cause ! 

JEFFERSON   DAVIS. 

NEAR  SPOTTSYLVANIA  COURT-HOUSE, 

May  11,  1864,  8.15  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE,  Commanding  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

Send  back  to  Belle  Plain  every  wagon  that  can  be  spared,  retaining  here  only 
sufficient  to  move  what  ammunition  and  other  stores  that  cannot  be  carried  on 
the  person.  Two  days  of  the  present  supply  of  rations  should  be  unloaded  to 
issue  to  the  men,  and  ammunition  enough  to  fill  all  the  cartridge-boxes.  These 
wagons  can  go  back  with  a  small  escort,  relying  on  reinforcements  expected  to 
give  them  a  strong  escort  back.  All  the  wagons  should  start  back  with  a  heavy 
load,  say  from  two  thousand  five  hundred  to  three  thousand  five  hundred  pounds, 
the  amount  depending  upon  the  strength  of  the  team.  I  would  advise  also  the 
sending  back  to  Belle  Plain  all  the  reserve  artillery.  This,  however,  I  leave  to 
your  own  discretion.  General  Burnside  will  be  instructed  to  send  back  as  an 
escort  to  the  wagons  all  his  cavalry,  and,  if  necessary,  his  division  of  colored 
troops. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Lieutenant-  General. 


340  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  HEADQUARTERS  ARMIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

NEAR  SPOTTSYLVANIA  COURT-HOUSE,  May  n,  1864,  8.30  A.M. 
MAJ.-GEN.  H.  W.  HALLECK,  Chief  of  Staff: 

We  have  now  ended  the  sixth  day  of  very  heavy  fighting.  The  result  to  this 
time  is  much  in  our  favor.  But  our  losses  have  been  heavy,  as  well  as  those  of 
the  enemy.  We  have  lost  to  this  time  eleven  general  officers,  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  and  probably  twenty  thousand  men.  I  think  the  loss  of  the  enemy 
must  be  greater,  we  having  taken  over  four  thousand  prisoners  in  battle,  while  he 
has  taken  but  few,  except  stragglers.  I  am  now  sending  back  to  Belle  Plain  all 
my  wagons  for  a  fresh  supply  of  provisions  and  ammunition,  and  propose  to  fight 
it  out  on  this  line  if  it  takes  all  summer. 

The  arrival  of  reenforcements  here  will  be  very  encouraging  to  the  men,  and 
I  hope  they  will  be  sent  as  fast  as  possible,  and  in  as  great  numbers.  My  object 
in  having  them  sent  to  Belle  Plain  was  to  use  them  as  an  escort  to  our  supply 
train.  If  it  is  more  convenient  to  send  them  out  by  train  to  march  from  the  rail 
road  to  Belle  Plain  or  Fredericksburg,  send  them  so.  I  am  satisfied  the  enemy 
are  very  shaky,  and  are  only  kept  up  to  the  mark  by  the  greatest  exertions  on  the 
part  of  their  officers,  and  by  keeping  them  intrenched  in  every  position  they  take. 
Up  to  this  time  there  is  no  indication  of  any  portion  of  Lee's  army  being  de 
tached  for  the  defence  of  Richmond. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Lieutenant-  General. 

Rainy  morning.  Were  under  arms  at  3  A.M.  At 
Thursday,  9  o'clock  our  brigade  was  massed  with  other  troops 
May  12.  in  the  centre  for  a  grand  demonstration.  Had  two  men 

wounded  in  the  unsuccessful  charge. 

About  i  P.M.  we  were  moved  to  the  left,  in  the  rain  and  mud,  to 
support  Ricketts'  division.  The  regiment  continued  on  duty  all  night. 

[CIRCULAR.] 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

May  13,  1864. 

SOLDIERS  :  The  moment  has  arrived  when  your  commanding  general  feels 
authorized  to  address  you  in  terms  of  congratulation.  For  eight  days  and  nights, 
almost  without  intermission,  in  rain  and  sunshine,  you  have  been  gallantly  fighting 
a  desperate  foe,  in  positions  naturally  strong,  and  rendered  doubly  so  by  intrench- 
ments;  you  have  compelled  him  to  abandon  his  fortifications  on  the  Rapidan,  to 
retire  and  attempt  to  stop  your  onward  progress,  and  now  he  has  abandoned  the 
last  intrenched  position,  so  tenaciously  held,  suffering  in  all  a  loss  of  eighteen  guns, 
twenty-two  colors,  and  eight  thousand  prisoners,  including  two  general  officers. 
Your  heroic  deeds  and  noble  endurance  of  fatigue  and  privations  will  ever  be 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  341 

1864.  memorable.     Let  us  return  thanks  to  God  for  the  mercy  thus  shown 

us,  and  ask  earnestly  for  its  continuance. 

Soldiers,  your  work  is  not  over,  the  enemy  must  be  pursued,  and,  if  possible, 
overcome.  The  courage  and  fortitude  you  have  displayed  rentiers  your  com 
manding  general  comident  your  future  efforts  will  result  in  success.  While  we 
mourn  the  loss  of  many  gallant  comrades,  let  us  remember  the  enemy  must  have 
suffered  equal,  if  not  greater,  losses.  We  shall  soon  receive  reinforcements 
which  he  can  not  expect.  Let  us  determine,  then,  to  continue  vigorously  the 
work  so  well  begun,  and,  under  God's  blessing,  in  a  short  time  the  object  of  our 
labors  will  be  accomplished. 

GEO.  G.  MEADE, 
Major-  General  Commanding. 

The  following  is  taken  from  Grant's  Memoirs  and  explains  itself: 

The  criticism  has  been  made  by  writers  on  the  campaign  from  the  Rapidan  to 
the  James  River,  that  all  the  loss  of  life  could  have  been  obviated  by  moving  the 
army  there  on  transports.  Richmond  was  fortified  and  intrenched  so  perfectly 
that  one  man  inside  to  defend  was  more  than  equal  to  five  outside  besieging  or 
assaulting.  To  get  possession  of  Lee's  army  was  the  first  great  object.  With  the 
capture  of  his  army  Richmond  would  necessarily  follow.  It  was  better  to  fight 
him  outside  of  his  stronghold  than  in  it.  If  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  been 
moved  bodily  to  the  James  River  by  water,  Lee  could  have  moved  a  part  of  his 
forces  back  to  Richmond,  called  Beauregard  from  the  south  to  reenforce  it,  and 
with  the  balance  moved  on  to  Washington.  Then,  too,  I  ordered  a  move  simul 
taneous  with  that  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  up  the  James  River  by  a  formi 
dable  army  already  collected  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

HEADQUARTERS,  May  12,  1864. 
(Received  Hanover  Junction,  ijth.) 
HON.  SECRETARY  OF  WAR: 

This  morning  at  dawn  the  enemy  broke  through  that  part  of  our  line  occupied 
by  Johnson's  division  and  gained  possession  of  a  portion  of  our  breastworks, 
which  he  still  holds.  A  number  of  pieces  of  artillery  fell  into  his  hands.  The 
engagement  has  continued  all  day,  and,  with  the  exception  indicated,  we  have 
maintained  our  ground.  In  the  beginning  of  the  action  we  lost  a  large  number 
of  prisoners,  but,  thanks  to  a  merciful  Providence,  our  subsequent  casualties  were 
not  large.  Major-General  Johnson  and  Brigadier-General  Stuart  were  taken 
prisoners.  The  brave  General  Perrin  was  killed,  and  Generals  Walker  (of  the 
Stonewall  Brigade)  and  Daniel  severely  wounded. 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

In  all  the  communications  of  General  Lee  it  will  be  noticed  how 
careful  he  is  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  "  merciful  Providence." 


342  THREE    TEARS    IN    THE   ARMY. 

1864.  About    10   A.M.   we   returned   to   Cutler's    division. 

Friday,         Rested  three  hours  and  were  then  sent  to  the  corner  of 

the  woods,  where  we  began  our  "  charge  "  of  last  Sunday. 

Here  we  strengthened  the  earthworks,  the  enemy  vigor 
ously  shelling  us  with  canister  during  the  operation,  but  their  guns 
were  too  elevated  to  do  us  any  harm,  though  they  did  take  effect  in 
the  first  division,  which  was  in  our  rear.  Showery  all  day.  At  1 1 
P.M.  we  were  marched  by  a  circuitous  route  for  ten  miles,  across 
fields  and  over  fences,  until  we  struck  the  Bowling  Green  and 
Fredericksburg  pike,  and  so  on  until  daylight,  when  we  halted  in 
sight  and  to  the  south  of  Spottsylvania  Court-House,  where  the  whole 
corps  was  formed  en  masse.  The  roads  were  saturated  with  water 
from  the  continuous  rains,  and  were  so  ploughed  with  the  artillery 
and  baggage-wagons  of  the  retreating  foe,  that  their  condition  re 
minded  us  of  Burnside's  "  Mud  march." 

The  following  was  in  answer  to  an  inquiry  as  to  the  best  man  to 
succeed  General  Robinson  in  the  command  of  our  division  : 

MAY  13,  1864. 
GENERAL  MEADE: 

I  think  General  Griffin  or  General  Ayres  is  the  most  competent  soldier,  but 
Generals  Cutler  and  Crawford  have  behaved  very  handsomely  with  me.  General 
Cutler  is  the  only  general  officer  left  with  me  in  the  old  First  Corps.  General 
Robinson  behaved  well  the  day  he  was  so  severely  wounded.  He  will  hardly 
ever  be  fit  for  duty  again. 

G.  K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General. 

Rained  hard  all  day,  making  the  roads  almost  impas- 
Saturday,  sable.  Since  the  3d  we  had  been  marching,  fighting, 
May  14.  and  building  earthworks  so  continuously  that  no  oppor 
tunity  had  been  afforded  to  change  any  of  our  cloth 
ing.  Our  march  of  last  night  was  made  without  halting,  over  very 
bad  roads,  and  in  darkness  so  aggravated  by  the  fog  as  to  make  it 
nearly  impossible  for  one  to  see  the  man  in  front  of  him.  In  some 
places  the  mud  was  nearly  knee-deep,  but  that  was  not  as  bad  as 
though  it  had  been  hip- deep.  A  man  of  philosophic  turn  of  mind 
could  always  find  something  to  be  thankful  for  in  the  army. 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  343 

1864.  We  were  close  to  the  Fredertcksb'.irg  pike  on  the  south 

side,  while  just  across,  on  the  north  side  of  the  pike,  was 
Burnside's  corps,  and  to  the  left  of  us  was  the  Sixth  Corps. 

Our  brigade  was  moved  to  the  north  side  of  the  road,  but  with 
that  exception  we  laid  quietly  in  the  mud,  watching  the  shells  as 
they  passed  over  our  head,  thankful  that  the  fuses  were  long  enough 
for  them  to  burst  elsewhere  than  over  us. 

We  remained  in  the  same  position  all  day  until  6  P.M., 
Sunday,  when  we  were  massed  with  other  troops  for  a  charge 
May  15.  which,  we  are  happy  to  say,  was  not  made.  It  was 

therefore  a  day  of  rest,  as  indeed  Sunday  should  be.  It 
was  showery  all  day. 

At  noon  the  sun  came  out  bright  and  hot,  but  it 
Monday,  rained  again  about  dark.  At  i  P.M.  we  were  formed  in 
May  1 6.  line  of  battle,  but  that  was  all,  for  the  expected  charge 

was  not  made.  At  5  P.M.  we  were  sent  out  on  the 
skirmish  line. 

We  have  only  two  months  more  to  serve,  so  the  less  number  of 
charges  we  were  called  upon  to  make  the  happier  we  were. 

The  last  two  or  three  days'  rest  brightened  up  the 
Tuesday,  boys  a  good  deal.  We  felt  a  little  less  like  an  "  armed 
May  17.  mob  "even  if  we  did  look  it.  We  were  relieved  from 

the  skirmish  line  about  6  P.M.,  and  then  moved  to  the 
right  on  the  flank  of  Burnside's  corps,  where  we  were  set  to  work 
building  breastworks  with  the  timber  which  we  cut  in  the  woods 
about  us,  and  by  digging.  We  worked  all  night.  Though  our 
brigade  contained  six  regiments  it  had  less  than  a  thousand  men. 

SPOTTSYLVANIA  COURT-HOUSE,  May  17,  1864. 
(Via  Guiney's.     Received  3.15  A.M.,  i8th.) 
HON.  SECRETARY  OF  WAR: 

The  enemy  has  made  no  demonstration  against  our  position  to-day.  His  army 
still  lies  in  the  valley  of  the  Ny,  extending  across  the  road  from  this  place  to 
Fredericksburg.  For  some  reason  there  seems  to  be  a  pause  in  his  movements. 
The  army  received  with  joy  the  news  of  General  Beauregard's  success  south  of 
James  River,  as  reported  in  the  papers  of  to-day. 

R.   E.  LEE. 


344  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  Having  completed  our  earthworks  we  were  moved  to 

Wednesday,  tjie  rear  Qf  tne  kj-jgad^  where  we  were  held  in  reserve. 

About  5  A.M.  the  rebel  artillery  opened  fire  on  the  Ninth 

Corps,  and  as  a  number  of  the  shells  burst  in  our  vicinity 
\ve  felt  uneasy  as  to  results.  As  these  shells  were  intended  for 
the  Ninth  Corps,  it  shows  how  careless  the  enemy  were  in  their 
artillery  work.  We  didn't  wish  to  rob  the  Ninth  Corps  of  anything 
that  was  intended  for  it.  At  7  A.M.  we  were  moved  by  the  left 
flank,  about  half  a  mile,  to  a  spot  near  General  Warren's  head 
quarters,  and  laid  under  a  shelling  fire  until  afternoon,  when  we  were 
moved  to  the  right  again,  near  the  earthworks  we  built  last  night. 
About  ii  P.M.  we  moved  into  the  works.  Rained  in  the  night, 
of  course.  We  noticed  during  the  day  that  a  movement  was  on 
hand  ;  in  fact  orders  were  received  for  all  to  be  in  readiness  to  move 
at  a  moment's  notice. 

The  changes  that  occurred  in  the  positions  of  other 
Thursday,  corps  had  left  us  apparently  on  the  right  flank  of  the 
May  19.  army  instead  of  adjoining  the  left  flank,  as  we  were 

on  our  arrival  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House.  Rained  in 
the  morning,  with  occasional  showers  all  day. 

A  detail  of  twenty-five  men  and  an  officer  was  sent  from  the  regi 
ment  to  join  other  troops  for  duty  as  skirmishers.  About  5  o'clock 
an  attack  was  made  on  this  skirmish  line,  the  enemy  attempting  to 
get  round  on  our  right,  but,  falling  in  with  some  Union  troops  on 
their  way  from  Fredericksburg,  they  were  repulsed. 

Lay  quietly  in  our  earthworks  all  day.  W^eather  hot. 
Friday,  A  congratulatory  order  to  the  First  Massachusetts  Heavy 
May  20.  Artillery  was  read  to  us  to-day.  It  seems  that  was  the 

regiment  that  was  doing  the  fighting  yesterday.  It  was  a 
regiment  of  sixteen  hundred  men,  and  this  was  its  first  fight.  They 
were  on  the  way  from  Fredericksburg  to  the  army  when  they  encoun 
tered  Rodes'  division  of  Ewell's  corps  attempting  to  steal  our  wagon- 
train.  The  First  Maryland,  just  returning  from  the  furlough  granted 
it  for  reenlisting,  happened  along  in  the  nick  of  time  and  also 
pitched  in. 

The  Heavy  Artillery  would  have  lost  less  men  if  they  had  had  more 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  345 

1864.  experience  in  fighting,  as  the  men  unnecessarily  exposed 

themselves ;  but  they  did  good  work  nevertheless. 

GENERAL  ORDERS,  7 

No.  44.  J       HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OK  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

May  20,  1864. 

The  commanding  general  announces  to  the  army  with  heartfelt  sorrow  the 
death  of  Maj.-Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  late  commander  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  of  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Among  the  gallant  soldiers  who  have  fallen  in  this 
war,  General  Stuart  was  second  to  none  in  valor,  in  zeal,  and  in  unfaltering  devo 
tion  to  his  country.  His  achievements  form  a  conspicuous  part  of  the  history  of 
this  army,  with  which  his  name  and  services  will  be  forever  associated.  To  mili 
tary  capacity  of  a  high  order,  and  all  the  nobler  virtues  of  the  soldier,  he  added 
the  brighter  graces  of  a  pure  life,  guided  and  sustained  by  the  Christian's  faith  and 
hope.  The  mysterious  hand  of  an  All- wise  God  has  removed  him  from  the  scene 
of  his  usefulness  and  fame.  His  grateful  countrymen  will  mourn  his  loss  and 
cherish  his  memory.  To  his  comrades  in  arms  he  has  left  the  proud  recollection 
of  his  deeds  and  the  inspiring  influence  of  his  example. 

R.  E.  LEE, 

General. 

A  change  was  made  to-day  in  the  order  of  companies 
Saturday,  in  the  regimental  line,  with  the  following  result :  G,  A,  F, 
May  21.  C,  E,  D,  I,  B,  H,  K.  We  are  now  a  part  of  the  grand 
movement  of  the  army  by  the  left  flank.  The  march  of 
an  army,  always  inspiring,  was  to-day  a  beautiful  sight.  A  cloudless 
sky,  while  the  air,  filled  with  the  song  of  birds,  was  invigorating,  and 
fragrant  with  the  flowers  that  were  growing  luxuriantly  in  the 
meadows  and  fields.  The  roads  were  in  perfect  condition,  and  the 
boys  cheerful,  as  they  viewed  the  brilliant  scenery  about  them. 

The  movement  began  early,  our  corps  following  the  Second  and 
Sixth  Corps.  We  abandoned  our  earthworks,  leaving  our  skirmishers 
to  take  care  of  themselves ;  the  rebels,  moving  promptly  into  our 
works,  capturing  one  of  our  officers  and  three  men.  We  marched 
ten  miles,  and  halted  about  two  miles  south  of  Guiney's  Station. 
The  men  we  left  on  the  skirmish  line  reached  us  later. 

Great  exertion  was  made  to  get  the  army  over  Guiney's  Bridge, 
which  crosses  the  Mattapony  River,  before  the  enemy  burned  the 
bridge.  This  river  is  formed  by  the  union  of  the  Mat,  the  Ta,  the 
Po,  and  the  Ny  rivers. 


346  THREE    TEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  The  officer  who  was  captured  was  at  that  time  in  com 

mand  of  Company  B,  and  had  in  his  possession  two 
hundred  dollars  of  that  company's  money.  Foreseeing  his  inevitable 
capture,  he  secreted  the  money  in  the  reenforced  seat  of  his  trousers, 
which  he  was  able  to  do  through  a  small  hole.  A  cavalryman  noticing 
he  was  an  officer,  pursued  and  captured  him,  promptly  demanding  his 
possessions.  Whereupon  his  overcoat  was  first  taken,  then  the  con 
tents  of  his  pockets,  his  sword,  pistol,  boots,  and  hat ;  after  which  he 
was  sent  back  to  the  rebel  lines,  and  subsequently  taken  to  Libby  prison. 
The  officer,  appreciating  that  the  money  would  soon  be  useless,  unless 
changed  to  some  place  where  there  was  less  wear,  divided  it  into  two 
parts,  hiding  each  part  under  a  shoulder-strap,  and  thus  preserved  it. 
Some  time  after  the  regiment  was  discharged,  he  was  exchanged  and 
returned  to  Boston,  and  promptly  offered  to  restore  the  money,  but 
the  company  declined  to  accept  it.  The  officer  was  originally  an  en 
listed  man  in  Company  D,  and  after  his  promotion  was  assigned  to  B. 
At  1 1  A.M.  we  started  for  Bull's  Church,  about  ten 
Sunday,  miles.  The  day  was  hot  and  sultry  and  the  roads  dusty. 
May  22.  The  only  fun  we  had  was  making  puns  on  the  name  of 
the  church.  It  was  also  known  as  St.  Margaret's  Church. 
We  were  under  the  impression  that  St.  Margaret  was  generally  at 
tended  by  a  dog,  so  were  unable  to  understand  the  significance  of 
calling  it  Bull's  Church. 

On  our  march  to-day  we  were,  once,  vigorously  shelled  by  the 
enemy,  who  were  retreating  toward  Richmond.  A  hundred  of  their 
stragglers  were  captured  during  the  day. 

During  the  last  few  days  we  had  been  marching  through 

Monday,       an  open  country,  attractive  in  appearance  and  rich  in 

May  23.         fertility,  and  showing  none  of  the  devastations  of  war. 

All  this  was  an  agreeable  change  from  the  dense  forest 

of  the  "  Wilderness." 

At  5  A.M.  we  took  up  the  line  of  march  toward  the  North 
Anna  River,  catching  up  with  the  rear  guard  of  the  enemy  at  a  place 
called  "  Old  Church,"  about  9  o'clock.  We  halted  here  for  some 
time,  while  the  cavalry,  and  a  light  battery  of  the  Second  Corps,  passed 
along  to  see  what  the  firing  ahead  of  us  meant.  About  3  P.M.  we 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  347 

1864.  were  countermarched,  and  shortly  after  took  a  road  to  the 

left  for  Jericho  Ford,  one  of  the  most  picturesque  spots  on 
the  North  Anna  River.  The  division  ahead  of  us  forded  the  river,  but 
we  built  a  pontoon  bridge  and  crossed  dry  shod,  and  thence  up  the 
bluffs,  where  some  of  the  corps  had  begun  intrenching.  We  had 
hardly  crossed  when  A.  P.  Hill's  corps,  formed  en  masse,  made  a  furi 
ous  charge  upon  our  troops.  It  was  now  about  dusk.  For  a  few 
minutes  the  fighting  was  terrific,  but  the  enemy  was  driven  back  with 
heavy  loss,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.  Our  regiment  had  five 
men  wounded.  The  Third  and  Fifth  Massachusetts  batteries  di;l  g  >od 
service  in  this  engagement.  We  were  now  occupying  a  piece  of  woods 
from  which  the  enemy  had  just  been  driven.  As  soon  as  it  was  dark 
we  were  ordered  to  lie  down  on  the  ground,  in  line  of  battle,  with  guns 
in  readiness,  at  a  moment's  notice,  to  continue  the  fight.  We  were  to 
remain  absolutely  quiet  and  not  to  strike  a  match,  even  for  lighting 
a  pipe.  Not  a  sound  could  be  heard  along  the  line  so  perfect  was 
the  stillness.  While  we  were  lying  there,  completely  hidden  from 
sight  by  the  impenetrable  darkness  of  the  woods,  watching  with  ears 
strained  to  catch  the  slightest  sound,  and  eyes  struggling  to  pierce 
the  gloom,  the  crackling  sound  of  footsteps  was  heard,  and  suddenly 
a  tall  specimen  of  the  Southern  chivalry  appeared.  With  gun  on  his 
shoulder  and  an  air  of  confidence,  such  as  a  soldier  has  when  fancy 
ing  himself  safely  within  his  own  lines,  he  walked  up  to  the  very 
muzzles  of  our  rifles  before  being  challenged.  To  his  inexpressible 
astonishment  he  received  the  order  to  "halt!"  "Who  comes 
there?"  to  which  he  responded,  "  Second  South  Carolina,  by  Gawd  !  " 
One  of  the  boys,  imitating  the  tone  of  his  voice,  replied,  "  Well,  we're 
the  Thirteenth  Massachusetts,  by  Gawd  !  "  At  this  unexpected  salu 
tation,  which  surprised  him  as  much  as  if  he  had  been  suddenly 
challenged  by  St.  Peter,  he  unclasped  his  belt  and  threw  it,  with  his 
gun,  on  the  ground,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  boys,  who,  in  spite 
of  orders  to  the  contrary,  could  not  restrain  their  laughter.  "  How 
did  you  like  the  fight,  'Johnnie'?"  was  asked  by  one  of  the  boys. 
"  Wall,  you  'uns  fire  shell  a  denied  sight  worse  than  we  'uns  do." 
The  necessity  for  silence  prevented  our  carrying  on  the  conversation 
further. 


348  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  We  were  within  about  forty  miles  of  Richmond,  and 

learned  what  was  meant  by  sending  a  man  to  Jericho. 
Tuesday,  The  place  was  called  Noel's  Station,  and  was  situated 

May  24.  on  tne  Virginia  Central  Railroad.  We  built  earthworks 
last  night  in  addition  to  our  other  duties,  and  were  so 
tired  out  that,  notwithstanding  the  enemy  were  continually  crawling 
up  through  the  woods  and  firing  upon  us,  we  could  be  kept  awake 
only  by  the  persistent  efforts  of  the  officers. 

Received  congratulatory  orders  from  General  Meade  for  the  work 
of  the  corps  yesterday. 

Remained  on  the  skirmish  line  all  day. 

We  didn't  fail  to  notice  how  well  marked  with  bullets  were  the  trees 
in  front  of  us.  One  in  particular,  at  the  height  of  a  man's  head, 
contained  a  dozen,  while  many  of  the  branches  were  completely 
severed.  We  were  glad  to  know  that  trees  were  good  for  something 
besides  shade. 

Moved  down  the  river  about  two  miles  to  the  "  Lone 
Wednesday,  Star  Hamlet"  or  farm,  and  formed  in  line  of  battle,  con- 
May  25.  necting  with  the  Sixth  Corps.  Threw  out  a  strong  line  of 
skirmishers,  which  was  under  fire  all  the  time.  The 
twelve  men  of  the  Thirteenth  who  were  captured  on  the  8th  instant  all 
returned  to  the  regiment,  having  been  recaptured  by  Custer's  cavalry 
at  Beaver  Dam.  Lucky  boys  ! 

A  bill  of  merchandise  was  picked  up  by  one  of  our  boys,  near  Bull's 
Church,  in  which  was  charged  two  barrels  of  whiskey  at  twenty-five 
dollars  per  gallon  and  tea  at  eleven  dollars  per  pound.  At  thirteen 
dollars  per  month  it  would  take  thirty  days  to  earn  half  a  gallon  of 
whiskey.  It  ought  to  have  been  pretty  good  at  that  price.  A  man 
couldn't  be  bit  many  times  by  rattlesnakes  with  whiskey  at  that  price. 

Since  the  8th,  when  General  Robinson  was  wounded,  our  brigade 
had  been  under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Warren,  who 
directed  our  movements  in  addition  to  his  other  duties.  In  the 
afternoon,  we  threw  up  earthworks,  followed  by  a  cracking  old 
thunder-storm. 

Our  base  of  supplies  was  now  the  Pamunkey  River. 

At  the  house  near  where  we  were  now  located,  we  noticed  a  pretty 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  349 

1864.  girl.     It  was  like  a  gleam  of  sunshine  on  a  cloudy  day. 

As  the  rest  of  the  family  had  left,  this  young  maiden  had 
all  the  admiration  to  herself.  General  Warren  placed  his  head 
quarters  in  front  of  this  house,  thereby  cutting  off  our  communication 
with  it.  His  appearance  suggested  the  Indian.  He  was  swarthy  in 
complexion,  high  cheek-bones,  long  hair,  and  a  mustache  which  he 
was  fond  of  twirling.  There  was  such  a  yawning  chasm  between 
thirteen  dollars  per  month  and  the  pay  of  a  major-general  that  even 
our  good  looks,  as  compared  with  his,  could  not  bridge  it,  so  we 
left  the  "  Lone  Star "  maid  to  his  tender  consideration. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

May  25,  1864,  12  M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE  : 

I  send  you  now  an  exact  sketch  of  developments  as  far  as  made.  I  have 
found  the  intrenchments  visible  on  the  left  and  right,  and  I  enclose  a  report  of 
General  Cutler  on  the  result  of  his  effort  to  push  on  in  the  centre.  My  line  makes 
a  salient  at  this  point.  Sharpshooters  are  very  active.  I  have  my  troops  in  two 
lines,  and  cover  a  front  reaching  near  to  Little  River.  I  cannot  extend  farther 
without  making  a  weak  line.  I  feel  satisfied  that  I  should  have  great  difficulty  at 
best  in  whipping  the  enemy  in  my  front.  Perhaps  if  General  Wright  were  to 
send  a  division  across  Little  River  we  would  be  able  to  develop  the  intrenched 
line  farther.  We  can  hear  wood-chopping  south  of  the  river,  which  just  beyond 
us  bends  southward  and  perhaps  forms  part  of  their  line.  The  woods,  however 
prevent  seeing  much  anywhere.  On  my  right  General  Griffin  has  got  eight  guns 
in  an  enfilading  position  to  the  enemy's  skirmish  line,  and  will  fire  pretty  soon. 
To  advance  my  right  carries  me  over  a  clear  field  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  with  the 
enemy  intrenched  on  the  other  side.  General  Cutler's  report  gives  you  an  idea  of 
the  trouble  in  the  centre,  and  General  Crittenden's  advance  last  night  shows  the 
state  of  things  on  my  left.  Do  you  wish  anything  further  done? 

Respectfully, 

G.  K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General. 
[Enclosure.] 
HEADQUARTERS  FOURTH  DIVISION,  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

May  25,  1864,  10.45  A.M. 
GENERAL  WARREN  : 

I  can't  find  any  way  to  get  at  the  flank  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  I  am  of 
the  opinion  that  there  may  be  a  salient  near  my  centre;  the  fire  at  that  point  is 
very  galling.  I  have  had  two  officers  and  some  eighteen  to  twenty  men  killed, 
and  a  large  number  wounded.  I  have  instructed  my  pickets  to  get  around  as 
well  as  they  can,  and  not  fire  any  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 

L.  CUTLER, 

Brigadier-  General. 


350  THREE     YKAIlfi    IN     THE    ARMY. 

1864. 

[First  indorsement.] 
GKNERAI,  GRANT  : 

I  should  judge  from  the  within   that,  unless  Warren  attacks,  not  much   more 

can  be  done  in  his  front. 

GEO.  G.  MEADE, 

Major-  General. 
[Second  indorsement.] 

I  do  not  think  any  attack  should  be  made  until  preparations  are  made  to  use 
our  whole  force.  The  best  Warren  can  do  now  is  to  cover  his  men  well  in  their 
advanced  position,  and  rest  them  all  he  can,  ready  for  active  services.  If  you 
think  proper  to  send  a  division  of  Wright's  force  across  Little  River,  do  so,  but  I 
think  unless  there  is  some  reason  for  it  that  I  do  not  know,  it  would  be  better  not 
to  send  them  over  until  the  cavalry  gets  around. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Lieutenant-  General. 

Lay  ill  the  works  all  day  until  9  P.M.,  when  we  left 
Thursday,  them  and  recrossed  the  North  Anna  about  two  miles 
May  26.  below  Jericho  Ford,  and  then  halted  about  midnight, 
near  a  church,  and  drew  rations,  including  a  ration  of 
whiskey,  after  which  we  took  a  bath  in  the  river.  After  an  hour's 
rest  we  marched  the  rest  of  the  night. 

We  now  had  with  us  six  days'  rations.  Marched 
Friday,  cautiously  all  day,  making  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles 
May  27.  in  the  last  twenty  hours.  We  crossed  the  Fredericks- 
burg  Railroad  to  St.  Paul's  Church,  camping  near  Mango- 
hick,  in  the  woods,  at  the  top  of  a  high  hill.  A  few  more  churches 
and  the  army  would  have  no  excuse  for  staying  away  from  divine 
service.  We  found  no  whiskey  at  St.  Paul's  Church,  as  we  did  near 
the  church  where  we  halted  last  night.  We  were  now  passing  through 
a  country  that  had  seen  something  of  war,  —  so  had  we. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THK  POTOMAC, 

May  27,  1864,  4.15  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  WARREN  : 

Headquarters  are  at  Mangohick  Church.  The  commanding  general  directs  me 
to  inform  you  that  examinations  are  now  being  made  that  will  probably  modify 
your  route  from  Hebron  Church  (one  mile  beyond  this),  so  that  you  will  move 
to  Hanovertown  instead  of  New  Castle  Ferry.  Wright  is  moving  by  a  road  that 
turns  off  a  mile  or  two  back  from  here  and  near  to  the  bridge  right  opposite  Mrs. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  351 

1864.  Hundley's,  in   the  vicinity  of  which  he  will   throw  a  bridge.     The 

commanding  general  thinks  it  better  that  you  should  move  on  as 
far  as  you  can  until  toward  evening  and  go  into  camp,  then  resuming  the  march 
as  soon  after  daylight  as  practicable.  Report  when  you  camp. 

A.  A.  HUMPHREYS, 
Major-  General  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

HEADQUARTKKS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORI-S, 

May  27,  1864,  7.10  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HUMPHREYS: 

I  have  two  divisions  in  camp,  the  third  coming  up,  and  the  artillery  and  trains 
following.  We  camp  on  Dowell's  Creek,  about  two  miles  from  Mangohick 
Church.  My  headquarters  are  about  two  miles  from  the  church,  at  a  house  called 
Turk's.  My  flag  is  on  the  road.  The  march  has  been  very  severe  on  men  and 
animals.  I  have  moved  as  fast  and  far  as  I  could  to  clear  the  road  for  General 
Burnside.  If  he  be  camped  five  miles  behind  me  he  can  start  at  the  same  hour, 
and  not  be  delayed. 

Respectfully, 

G.   K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

May  27,  1864,  8.30  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  WARREN,   Commanding  Fifth  Corps  : 

The  major-general  commanding  directs  that  you  move  to-morrow  to  Ilanover- 
town,  crossing  the  river,  and  take  position  in  advance,  with  your  left  resting  on 
the  Totopotomoy  and  your  right  extending  toward  Crump's  Creek.  The  map 
indicates  this  position  to  be  beyond  Mrs.  Via's  house.  General  Burnside  will  form 
on  your  right;  Hancock  next,  and  Wright  on  the  right,  holding  the  crossing  of 
Crump's  Creek.  Upon  crossing  the  river  you  will  relieve  General  Russell's 
division,  which  will  then  rejoin  its  corps. 

A.  A.  HUMPHREYS, 
Major-General  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

Marched  at  4  P.M.,  passing  army  headquarters  at 
Saturday,  Mangohick  Church.  There  was  hope  for  us  all  while 
May  28.  headquarters  were  near  a  church.  We  were  now  march 
ing  through  what  was  known  as  the  Brandywine  country, 
and  a  beautiful  country  it  is,  as  it  ought  to  be,  with  such  a  name. 
Crossed  the  Pamunkey  River,  not  far  from  Hanovertown,  about 
noon.  The  Pamunkey  River  is  formed  by  the  union  of  the  North 
and  South  Anna  Rivers.  We  found  the  Sixth  Corps  resting  on  the 
meadows  as  we  reached  this  point.  Crossing  a  small  stream  called 


352  TIIBEE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  Herring  Creek,  that  flowed  over  the  road,  we  moved  to 

the  ridge  beyond,  where  we  formed  in  line  and  built 
earthworks.  Severe  cavalry  fighting  in  front  of  us.  For  two  days 
—  being  the  only  ones  since  we  crossed  the  Rappahannock  —  we  had 
not  exchanged  a  shot  with  the  enemy. 

As  General  Grant  and  his  staff  was  passing  he  noticed  one  of  the 
boys  of  Company  D  with  his  tin  cup  filled  with  water.  The  cup 
was  old,  battered,  and  greasy,  black  with  constant  use  in  making 
coffee,  and  about  as  uninviting  a  piece  of  tinware  as  ever  was  seen. 
General  Grant  halted  and  asked,  "  Have  you  any  good  water  there, 
my  man?  " 

"Yes,  sir;  I  can  recommend  the  water  if  I  can't  the  cup." 

"Oh,  that  is  all  right,"  said  Grant,  "the  water  is  just  as  good;" 
and  he  raised  the  old  black  coffee  cup  to  his  lips  and  drank  as 
heartily  as  though  it  were  a  silver  goblet. 

All  doubts  of  Grant's  capacity  as  a  general  had  disappeared  with 
the  steady  onward  movement  of  the  army. 

Called  up  at  daylight  to  move,  but  didn't  get  away 
Sunday,  until  noon,  when  we  advanced  our  line  about  two  miles. 
May  29.  At  6.30  P.M.  we  marched  to  the  eastward  about  three 
miles,  halting  at  the  junction  of  the  White  House  and 
Richmond  Roads,  where  the  brigade  proceeded  to  throw  up  earth 
works  to  cover  the  cross-roads,  working  all  night.  We  were  cautioned 
about  making  noise  or  building  fires.  On  our  way  to  this  point  we 
passed  through  the  small  hamlet  of  "  Howells'  Store."  As  one  of  the 
boys  remarked,  "  Howells  must  be  a  h — 1  of  a  man  to  have  a  store 
named  after  him." 

Some  of  the  boys  having  discovered  a  house,  a  short  distance 
away,  paid  it  a  visit  to  see  what  they  could  find.  Having  secured  a 
young  pig  they  were  making  tracks  for  the  regiment,  when  they  ran 
plump  into  General  Wheelock,  of  the  Ninety-seventh  New  York, 
who  couldn't  speak  in  a  low  tone  if  he  tried,  and  who  yelled,  "  Don't 
you  know  it's  against  orders  to  make  such  d — d  noise?  "  So  they 
clapped  their  hands  on  poor  piggy's  throat  and  informed  him  they 
belonged  to  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  which  wasn't  true,  of  course, 
and  then  disappeared. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  353 

1864.  Our  division,  which  was  broken  up  and  the  brigades 

Monday,       temporarily    distributed    among    other    divisions   when 

General  Robinson  was  wounded,  was  reorganized  under 

General  Lockwood.     It  was  a  welcome  sight  to  again  see 

our  old  division  flag  at  the  head  of  our  column. 

About  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  returned  to  the  place  we 
left  yesterday,  and  laid  quiet  until  4  P.M.,  when  we  moved  forward 
and  formed  line  in  a  ploughed  field,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which 
was  a  piece  of  woods.  General  Warren  made  his  appearance  and 
immediately  gave  an  order  for  the  brigade  to  move  forward  through 
the  woods.  He  seemed  to  think  the  urgency  of  the  occasion  great, 
as  he  called  on  "Helen  Damnation"  as  if  she  could  render  assist 
ance  were  she  so  disposed.  You  might  call  on  "  Father  Mars  "  until 
the  cows  came  home  without  inspiring  soldiers  to  fight ;  but  the 
moment  Helen's  name  was  heard  things  began  to  move.  Helen  was 
a  first-class  goddess,  and  had  much  to  do  with  the  fortunes  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

We  moved  as  ordered,  through  the  woods,  and  connected  our  line 
with  that  of  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves  on  our  right,  and  built  earth 
works  during  the  night. 

Remained  in  earthworks  all  day.     Heavy  firing  heard 
Tuesday,       on  the  right  in  the  forenoon,  and  on  the  left  in  the  after- 
May  31.         noon,  at  Cold  Harbor,  between  Sheridan's  cavalry  and 
the  enemy. 

Our  brigade  was  now  on  the  left  flank  of  the  army. 

We  were  in  a  sandy  country,  where  the  sand  was  so  light  that  it 
seemed  impossible  to  keep  it  out  of  our  shoes  or  haversacks. 

The  following  itinerary  from  the  report  of  General  Warren  shows 
the  doings  of  the  Fifth  Corps  from  the  time  it  crossed  the  Rapidan 
to  May  3 1  st : 

May  4.  —  Corps  left  Culpeper  at  midnight ;  crossed  the  Rapidan 
at  Germanna  Ford,  and  bivouacked  near  Wilderness  Tavern. 

May  j. — Attacked  Ewell's  corps  with  Griffin's,  Wadsworth's,  and 
part  of  Crawford's  divisions ;  afterward  attacked  Hill's  corps  with 
Wadsworth's  division  ;  fought  until  dark. 

May  6.  —  Commenced  fighting  again  at  4.30   A.M.;    fought  all 


354  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  day;  General  Waclsworth  killed  and  General  Baxter 

wounded. 

May  7. — Took  the  advance  at  dark;  marched  all  night  toward 
Spottsylvania  Court- House. 

May  8.  —  Met  Longstreet's  corps  in  the  morning  near  that  place  ; 
fought  all  the  rest  of  the  day,  encountering  part  of  Ewell's  corps  just 
at  dark ;  General  Robinson  severely  wounded. 

May  9.  —  Drove  the  enemy  into  his  intrenched  line. 

May  JO.  —  Vigorously  assaulted  enemy's  position  in  conjunction 
with  Second  Corps. 

May  12.  —  Repeated  assault  on  enemy  alone  at  the  same  place  as 
on  the  loth.  General  Ayres  marched  to  left  to  support  Second 
Corps  in  afternoon ;  marched  back  during  the  night  in  the  rain. 

May  ij.  —  Constructed  line  of  breastworks  to  contract  our  lines; 
worked  all  day ;  marched  all  night  in  the  rain  around  the  rear  of  our 
army  to  attack  the  enemy  at  daybreak  on  the  i4th.  Remained  in 
front  of  the  enemy  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House,  skirmishing  daily 
until  May  21,  part  of  the  corps  taking  an  important  part  in  the  battle 
of  May  i  7. 

May  21.  —  Left  enemy's  front  at  noon  ;  crossed  the  Po  River  at 
Guiney's  Bridge ;  the  advance  crossed  the  Ta  River  at  Madison's 
Ordinary. 

May  22 .  —  Followed  along  the  Telegraph  Road,  fighting  his 
cavalry  ;  bivouacked  at  Dr.  Flippo's. 

May  2j.  —  Crossed  North  Anna  at  Jericho  Mills,  and  fought  Hill's 
corps  on  south  side. 

May  24.  —  Pushed  out  to  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad,  and 
down  the  river  to  connect  with  the  Ninth  Corps. 

May  23.  —  Drove  the  enemy  into  his  intrenched  lines,  developing 
their  location. 

May  26.  —  At  dark  recrossed  the  North  Anna  at  Quarles'  Mills  in 
the  rain ;  marched  all  night. 

May  2j.  —  Marched  all  day,  proceeding  via  Mount  Carmel  Church 
and  St.  Paul's  Church,  bivouacking  two  miles  from  Mangohick  Church. 

May  28.  —  Crossed  the  Pamunkey  at  Hanovertown,  and  encamped 
near  Brockenbrough's  house. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  355 

1864.  May  29.  —  Moved  to  Norman's  house. 

May  jo,  —  Moved  to  Via's  house,  south  of  Totopo- 
tomoy  Creek,  and  had  a  skirmish  with  enemy. 

J/rfv  jf.  —  Was  engaged  with  the  enemy  at  and  near  Bethesda 
Church,  on  the  Mechanicsville  Road  to  Richmond. 


356  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

1864.  TWENTY— SEVEN  days  had  passed  since  we  crossed  the 

Rapidan  under  the  leadership  of  General  Grant.  During 
this  time  we  had  received  a  new  experience  in  warfare.  The  ordi 
nary  duties  of  camp  life,  such  as  drilling,  guard- mounting,  etc.,  had 
disappeared,  and  in  their  place  were  marching,  digging,  and  fighting, 
getting  sleep  as  best  we  could.  It  seemed  a  grand  hustle  to  see 
which  army  would  get  to  Richmond  first,  keeping  us  busy  all  the 
time.  Yet,  to  some  of  us,  it  didn't  seem  so  hard  a  campaign  as 
either  Manassas  or  Gettysburg,  or  even  Chancellorsville.  The  ra 
tions  were  issued  regularly  ;  our  marches  were  not,  as  a  rule,  long ; 
we  had  earthworks  to  fall  back  into,  and  were  well  supported  by 
other  troops,  and  our  position  in  battle  frequently  changed.  No 
matter  how  hard  the  fighting,  or  doubtful  the  result,  we  moved 
onward  as  resistless  as  the  car  of  Juggernaut.  The  Army  of  the 
Potomac  having  been  unaccustomed  to  the  sunshine  of  victory, 
rejoiced  at  the  change  and  became  buoyant  with  hope.  The  dis 
couragement  that  hitherto  attended  us  vanished  as  our  confidence 
in  Grant  increased.  Fears  for  the  safety  of  Washington  —  the 
skeleton  that,  hitherto,  haunted  the  closet  of  our  army  —  seemed 
to  have  been  eliminated  from  Grant's  plan.  There  was  one  draw 
back  to  our  confidence  in  General  Grant,  and  that  was  his  occasional 
appearance  on  the  skirmish  line  at  times  when  it  was  very  danger 
ous.  It  was  running  too  great  a  risk,  and  our  apprehensions  were 
often  very  much  excited  at  his  apparent  insensibility  to  the  peril 
of  his  position. 

Now  that  we  had  only  forty-seven  days  more  to  serve  we  found  it 
a  good  deal  harder  to  respond  when  the  order  was  given  to  "  charge," 
and  were  glad  enough  when  a  day  passed  without  our  being  called 
upon  for  that  disagreeable  duty. 


MAP   N<?  17 


rniltTEENTII    MASS.     VOLS.  357 

1864.  About  8  A.M.  we  left  the  earthworks,  advancing  our 

Wednesday,  une   about    a    mile,  swinging   forward    the   left   of  our 
•*UI  division  across  the    road  leading  to    Bethesda  Church, 

during  which  operation  we  were  vigorously  shelled  by 
the  enemy.     We  had  two  men  wounded,  one  fatally. 

At  dusk,  just  as  we  had  completed  our  earthworks,  our  division 
was  moved  to  the  left,  connecting  with  the  Eighteenth  Corps  which 
had  been  fighting  all  the  afternoon.  Began  another  line  of  earth 
works  which  took  us  nearly  all  night  to  complete.  As  we  were  in  a 
very  exposed  position,  we  had  to  work  as  silently  as  possible. 

Some  of  the  boys,  with  irrepressible  curiosity,  stepped  into  a  house 
near  the  church,  to  learn  the  cause  of  the  excitement  that  seemed 
to  prevail  inside.  It  was  indeed  a  sight  to  see.  When  the  rebels 
retreated  the  occupants,  having  no  faith  in  the  chivalry  of  the  North, 
followed  suit.  What  furniture  they  couldn't  take  with  them,  they 
destroyed.  Fine  mirrors  lay  shattered  on  the  floor,  carpets  torn  up, 
dishes,  chairs,  and  other  articles  of  furniture  were  smashed  and 
lying  about  in  bewildering  confusion.  Notwithstanding  its  remote 
ness  from  the  water,  the  occupant  appeared  to  have  been  a  mariner 
of  some  sort  by  the  sails  and  seines  which  were  found  in  the  base 
ment,  while  in  the  parlor,  as  if  to  confirm  the  impression,  hung  a 
marine  painting  showing  a  schooner  under  sail  flying  the  stars  and 
stripes. 

While  the  boys  were  taking  notice  of  this  scene  of  destruction 
they  observed  a  soldier  pulling  down  one  of  the  painted  curtains, 
and  upon  inquiry  as  to  what  purpose  it  could  be  used,  he  re 
marked  that  having  no  rubber  blanket  the  curtain  would  "just 
be  a  bully  thing." 

At  daylight  we  were  saluted  with  a  shower  of  bullets 
Thursday,  from  the  rebel  skirmish  line,  which  was  very  near. 
June  2.  Our  earthworks  afforded  us  excellent  protection,  while 
we  remained  in  them.  The  skirmishers  soon  advanced 
and  drove  the  enemy  from  their  trenches,  and  hot  work  it  was  for 
a  short  time. 

About  noon  we  vacated  the  earthworks,  which  were  at  once  occu 
pied  by  artillery.  The  regiment  was  then  moved  to  the  left,  form- 


358  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  ing  on  the  left  of  Du  Shane's  Maryland  Brigade,  to  pro 

tect  a  gap  in  the  line. 

General  Lockwood,  our  division  commander,  was  relieved  by 
General  Crawford  to-day. 

We  were  well  ducked  by  heavy  showers  during  the  afternoon  and 
night. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  War  Records  will  be  very  interest 
ing  reading  to  the  Thirteenth  : 

JUNE  i,  1864. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE  : 

General  Griffin  repulsed  the  attack  on  him  to-night,  which  was  no  more  than  a 
strong  feeler.  The  Cold  Harbor  Road  is  not  open,  and  I  have  been  able  to  make 
no  impression  on  the  enemy.  A  very  large  field  intervenes  just  beyond  the  forks 
of  the  road  commanded  by  the  enemy's  batteries.  I  directed  General  Lockwood 
to  extend  well  to  the  left  with  a  line  of  skirmishers,  and  to  prepare  his  whole 
division  for  an  attack  in  conjunction  with  Wright  and  Smith.  I  thinned  my  line 
down  to  the  least  possible  amount  to  get  two  brigades  in  reserve  to  support  him, 
but  in  some  unaccountable  way  he  took  his  whole  division,  without  my  knowing 
it,  away  from  the  left  of  the  line  of  battle,  and  turned  up  at  dark  two  miles  in  my 
rear,  and  I  have  not  yet  got  him  back.  All  this  time  the  firing  should  have 
guided  him  at  least.  He  is  too  incompetent,  and  too  high  rank  leaves  no  sub 
ordinate  place  for  him.  I  earnestly  beg  that  he  may  be  at  once  relieved  from  duty 
with  this  army.  Major  Roebling  has  not  yet  returned. 

Respectfully, 

G.  K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General. 
SPECIAL  ORDERS,  "l 

No.  26.  /       HEADQUARTERS  ARMIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

BETHESDA  CHURCH,  VA.,  June  2,  1864. 

i.     Brig.-Gen.    H.    H.    Lockwood   is    hereby   relieved   from   duty   with   the 
Fifth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  will  proceed  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  and 
await  further  orders,  reporting  by  letter  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army. 
By  command  of  Lieutenant-General  Grant, 

T.    S.    BOWERS, 
Assistant  Adjutant-  General. 

BALTIMORE,  MD.,  June  10,  1864. 
BRIG.-GEN.  S.  WILLIAMS,  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

DEAR  SIR  :  A  certain  penny-a-liner  of  the  "  New  York  Herald,"  writing  from  the 
headquarters  of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,  having  recently  said  that  my  removal  from 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  arose  from  an  error  on  my  part  in  opening  the  lines, 
and  thus  exposing  my  division  to  capture,  and  the  whole  line  to  loss,  I  feel  it  a 
duty  to  myself  to  let  you  and  my  friends  near  you  into  the  facts  of  the  case.  You 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  359 

1864.  must  pardon  me  this  letter,  which  shall  be  as  short  as  possible,  and 

which  I  address  to  you  because  you  expressed  concern  at  my  abrupt 
and  most  unjust  removal.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  1st  instant  my  division  occupied 
the  extreme  left  of  the  main  line,  neither  Smith  nor  Wright  connecting  with  me. 
General  Warren  ordered  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers  to  be  extended  from  my  left 
some  one-third  or  one-half  mile.  This  was  done.  Afterward  he  ordered  that 
these  skirmishers,  together  with  those  in  my  front,  should  feel  the  enemy  by  ad 
vancing  the  left,  turning  on  the  right  as  a  pivot.  Some  delay  took  place  in 
effecting  this.  To  hasten  this,  and  to  be  able  to  report  its  successful  execution, 
I  went  in  person  at  4  P.M.  toward  the  left  of  this  extended  line  of  skirmishers. 
During  my  absence  an  order  came  from  General  Warren  to  my  flag,  in  these 
words,  which  I  beg  of  you  to  note  as  having  an  important  bearing  on  this  unfor 
tunate  issue,  unfortunate  at  least  to  me : 

HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

June  i,  1864,  5  P.M. 
BRIGADIER-GENERAL  LOCKWOOD,   Commanding  Second  Division  : 

Wright  is  engaging  the  enemy  on  your  left  up  the  Cold  Harbor  Road.  Ad 
vance  your  entire  command  along  this  road,  and  take  part  in  the  action  if  oppor 
tunity  offers.  A  division  will  support  you. 

G.  K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General. 

I  arrived  at  my  flag  at  6  P.M.,  when  this  note  was  handed  to  me  by  one  of  my 
aides-de-camp,  who  remarked  that  General  Warren  had  been  over  in  person;  was 
very  impatient  and  very  angry,  and  had  used  some  harsh  language  respecting  me. 
I  immediately  mounted  my  horse,  led  my  reserve  up  to  the  main  line,  put  the 
whole  in  motion  by  the  left  flank,  sending  one  brigade,  which  was  bent  somewhat 
to  the  rear,  by  a  nearer  route  to  join  me  up  the  road  a  half  mile  distant,  the  road  here 
running  nearly  parallel  to  the  line,  distant  two  hundred  yards.  I  led  the  rest  of 
the  division  up,  and,  as  I  interpreted  it,  "along  "  the  Cold  Harbor  Road,  at  great 
peril  to  myself  and  officers,  and  reached  the  desired  point  in  the  direction  of  the 
action  then  raging  between  Wright  and  the  enemy  about  sunset.  The  detached 
brigade  was  there  before  me.  Here  I  met  Major  Roebling,  of  Warren's  staff, 
with  some  four  hundred  of  my  men,  who  had  been  reconnoitering  the  ground. 
He  said  he  had  an  admirable  position  for  my  left  beyond  the  road,  and  had  al 
ready  posted  the  four  hundred  men  and  a  portion  of  the  detached  brigade  upon 
it,  and  would  advise  my  tilling  out  the  line  by  another  brigade,  leaving  one  brigade 
in  the  road,  whose  left  would  reach  to  the  left  of  my  former  position.  I  acceded 
to  this  and  posted  my  men  accordingly,  by  directing  them  to  keep  quiet  and  in 
trench.  Feeling  sure  that  the  enemy  had  not  observed  us  or  our  change  of  posi 
tion,  skirmishers  were  thrown  out  and  a  double  line  sent  to  occupy  or  cover  our 
former  position. 

Supperless  and  blanketless  I   laid  down  on  the  ground  at  the  angle  made  by 


360  TllliEE    YE AHS    IX    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  those  in  the  field  with  those  in  the  road  and  passed  the  night.  The 

contest  with  Wright  had  now  well-nigh  ceased,  the  firing  being  con 
fined  to  pickets  apparently  beyond  my  left.  Rising  at  daybreak  I  found  my  line 
well  covered,  and  myself  saluted  by  a  shower  of  balls  from  sharpshooters  in  a 
thicket  near  my  front.  These  my  skirmishers  soon  dispersed,  gaining  possession 
of  the  thicket.  Regarding  my  position  a  good  one  and  safe,  my  left  secured  by 
the  issue  of  Wright's  contest,  as  well  as  by  a  swamp  near  it  on  which  it  rested, 
and  which  I  had  covered  by  a  double  line  of  skirmishers,  connecting  my  right 
with  Cutler's  left,  I  retired  to  a  small  house  two  hundred  yards  up  the  road  and 
raised  my  flag.  Soon  after  this  Major  Roebling  again  came  up  and  agreed  with 
me  as  to  the  advantages  of  my  position,  claiming  for  himself  the  merit  of  select 
ing  it.  I  remarked  that  I  was  sorry  to  inform  him  that  General  Warren  differed 
from  us  as  to  its  merits;  that  one  of  my  staff  missing  me  passed  a  portion  of  the 
night  at  General  Warren's  headquarters ;  that  the  general  denounced  the  move 
ment  as  not  contemplated  by  his  orders,  declared  we  would  be  captured  or  cut  to 
pieces  and  bring  on  a  general  engagement;  and  further,  that  he  had  made  use  of 
very  harsh  and  damning  language  respecting  me  personally. 

I  said  further  to  the  major  that  this  must  cease,  as  I  would  not  permit  General 
Warren  or  any  other  general  to  abuse  me  in  the  presence  of  my  staff.  The  major 
replied  that  if  I  had  anything  to  say  of  General  Warren  I  should  say  it  to  General 
Warren  himself.  I  replied  that  I  certainly  would  call  on  General  Warren  and 
say  as  much  or  more  to  him.  The  major  then  left,  and  I  presume  returned  to 
corps  headquarters.  One  hour  later  I  received  an  order  relieving  me  from  the 
command,  with  orders  to  report  to  General  Grant,  and  later  in  the  day  an  order 
from  General  Grant  directing  me  to  proceed  to  Baltimore,  there  await  further 
orders,  and  report  to  the  Adjutant-General  United  States  Army.  Now,  general,  what 
I  have  related  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  this  difficulty,  and  the  facts  herein  given 
can  be  sworn  to  by  a  multitude  of  witnesses.  The  order  was  seen  and  read  by 
Colonel  Bates,  commanding  brigade,  and  by  some  of  my  own  and  Warren's  staff. 
We  all  agreed  that  by  the  words  "  move  along  the  Cold  Harboi  Road  and  take 
part  in  the  action  "  was  intended  that  we  should  move  up  that  road  toward  the 
point  where  Wright  was  engaged. 

Had  I  done  otherwise  I  would  have  laid  myself  open  to  the  imputation  of  fear 
ing  to  meet  the  enemy  with  my  five  thousand  men  and  as  many  more  at  my  [com 
mand]  to  support  them.  Knowing  that  General  Warren  had  a  spare  force  near 
him,  I  took  it  for  granted  that  he  would  look  out  for  that  unlucky  gap.  But  to 
avoid  all  difficulty  I  took  the  precaution  of  covering  it  with  a  double  line  of  skir 
mishers  advantageously  posted,  and  connecting  my  right  with  Cutler's  left.  I 
innocently  believed  that  I  was  faithfully  carrying  out  Warren's  orders,  had  suc 
cessfully  flanked  a  battery,  would  be  commended  by  my  chief,  and  perhaps  get 
another  star.  But  alas,  how  foolish  are  the  imaginations  of  man !  how  vain  his 
expectations !  I  declare  I  never  was  more  astonished  than  when  I  heard  from  an 
officer,  who  had  passed  part  of  the  night  at  corps  headquarters,  that  General 
Warren  disapproved  the  proceedings,  and  meant,  when  he  wrote  I  should  "  move 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  361 

1864.  along  the  road,"  that  I  should  move  up  the  road,  remaining  parallel 

to  and  abreast  of  my  former  position. 

Of  course  this  removal  damages  me  in  public  opinion,  and  its  effects  on  my 
future  career  are  irreparable,  as  no  other  corps  commander  will  care  to  have  a 
division  commander  sent  to  him  whom  so  skilful  and  able  a  corps  commander  as 
Major-General  Warren  had  rejected  for  exceeding  his  orders,  endangering  his 
own  men,  and  almost  bringing  on  a  general  engagement  without  orders.  I  see  no 
remedy.  The  public  press  is  closed  to  me  both  by  general  orders  and  by  my  own 
sense  of  propriety.  As  a  good  patriot  I  must  suffer,  but  I  am  desirous  that  you, 
General  Meade,  Major  Michler,  and  some  others  whom  I  have  regarded  as  my 
friends,  ready  to  hear  reason,  should  know  the  truth  and  be  thereby  enabled  to 
form  a  just  appreciation  of  this  case. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  general,  very  truly,  and  respectfully,  your  obedient  and 
obliging  servant, 

HENRY  H.  LOCKWOOD, 
Brigadier- General  of   Volunteers. 

Rainy ;   built   a   line    of   earthworks    with    traverses. 
Friday,          Shelling  continued  during  the  day. 
June  3.  Out  of  twenty-one  men  detailed  from  the  regiment  for 

duty  on  the  skirmish  line,  we  had  one  man  killed,  an 
officer  and  five  men  wounded,  and  two  taken  prisoners. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

BETHESDA  CHURCH,  June  3,  1864,  9  A.M. 
GENERAL  MEADE: 

We  have  forced  the  enemy  back  still  farther  on  the  road  to  Shady  Grove,  but  I 
have  all  my  troops  in  one  line.  I  cannot  maintain  the  battle  this  way  all  day 
without  reinforcements.  Can  I  withdraw  them,  if  necessary,  from  my  own  left 
without  jeopardizing  the  operations  to  the  left  of  me?  I  have  no  way  of  judging 
of  the  force  of  the  enemy  except  by  the  extent  of  his  front,  which  is  very  great, 
and  by  the  prisoners  we  have  taken,  which  are  from  all  three  of  Lee's  old  corps. 
They  probably  have  not  all  the  force  this  last  would  indicate.  The  right  of  my 
corps  is  now  over  on  the  Shady  Grove  Road,  and  General  Burnside  is  preparing  to 
move  down  the  road  toward  Mechanicsville,  toward  the  position  he  left  yesterday. 

Respectfully, 

G.  K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General, 

HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

June  3,  1864,  9.30  A.M. 
GENERAL  MEADE: 

I  have  written  you  every  little  while,  and  sent  to  you  the  substance  of  General 
Burnside's  and  my  operations.  We  have  been  fighting  hard  on  our  right,  and  are 


362  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  getting  the  enemy  back,  which  will  eventually  shorten  our  lines  and 

make  more  troops  available  for  assault.  While  we  attacked  from 
our  right,  the  enemy  assaulted  my  right  centre,  but  were  repulsed.  I  am  not 
waiting  for  anybody,  but  putting  in  whenever  I  can  judiciously. 

Respectfully, 

G.  K.  WARREN, 

Major-  General. 

NEAR  COLD  HARBOR,  June  3,  1864,  7  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE,  Commanding  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

The  moment  it  becomes  certain  that  an  assault  cannot  succeed,  suspend  the 
offensive ;  but  when  one  does  succeed  push  it  vigorously,  and  if  necessary  pile  in 
troops  at  the  successful  point  from  wherever  they  can  be  taken.  I  shall  go  to 
where  you  are  in  the  course  of  an  hour. 

U.    S.  GRANT, 

Lieutenant-  General. 

COLD  HARBOR,  June  3,  1864,  12.30  P.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  MEADE,  Commanding  Army  of  the  Potomac  : 

The  opinion  of  corps  commanders  not  being  sanguine  of  success  in  case  an 
assault  is  ordered,  you  may  direct  a  suspension  of  farther  advance  for  the  present. 
Hold  our  most  advanced  positions,  and  strengthen  them.  Whilst  on  the  defen 
sive,  our  line  may  be  contracted  from  the  right,  if  practicable.  Reconnaissances 
should  be  made  in  front  of  every  corps,  and  advances  made  to  advantageous 
positions  by  regular  approaches.  To  aid  the  expedition  under  General  Hunter  it 
is  necessary  that  we  should  detain  all  the  army  now  with  Lee  until  the  former  gets 
well  on  his  way  to  Lynchburg.  To  do  this  effectually  it  will  be  better  to  keep  the 
enemy  out  of  the  intrenchments  of  Richmond  than  to  have  them  go  back  there. 
Wright  and  Hancock  should  be  ready  to  assault  in  case  the  enemy  should  break 
through  General  Smith's  lines,  and  all  should  be  ready  to  resist  an  assault. 

U.    S.   GRANT, 

Lieutenant-  General. 

A  hot  day  until  about  4  P.M.  when  it  began  to  rain 
Saturday,      and  continued  all  night. 

June  4.  About  noon  we  left  our  earthworks  and  rejoined  our 

brigade  which  we  found  held  in  reserve.  Skirmish  firing 
all  along  the  line  at  night. 

We  had  a  whiskey  ration  issued  to  us  to-day.    "  Down  with  rum  !  " 
One  man  wounded  to-day. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  363 

1864.  Rained  until  noon.     About  3  A.M.  we  were  turned 

Sunday,        out  to  taj,e  possession  of  the  earthworks  vacated  by  part 
June  5.          of  the  secomi  brigade  of  our  division.     Laid  still  all  day 

with  no  fighting  except  on  the  skirmish  line. 

About  8  P.M.  we  were  cautiously  and  very  quietly  withdrawn 
from  the  earthworks  and  made  a  rapid  march  to  Cold  Harbor,  leav 
ing  our  skirmish  line  in  position  for  three  or  four  hours  after  we  left. 
The  march  was  about  five  miles.  Bivouacked  at  i  A.M.  in  the  rear 
of  the  Second  Corps. 

HEADQUARTERS    ARMIES    OK   THE    UNITED    STATES, 

COLD  HARBOR,  VA.,  June  5,  1864. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HALLECK,  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army,   Washington,  D.C.  : 

GENERAL  :  A  full  survey  of  all  the  ground  satisfies  me  that  it  would  not  be 
practicable  to  hold  a  line  north-east  of  Richmond  that  would  protect  the  Frecler- 
icksburg  Railroad,  to  enable  us  to  use  it  for  supplying  the  army.  To  do  so  would 
give  us  a  long  vulnerable  line  of  road  to  protect,  exhausting  much  of  our  strength 
in  guarding  it,  and  would  leave  open  to  the  enemy  all  of  his  lines  of  communica 
tion  on  the  south  side  of  the  James.  My  idea  from  the  start  has  been  to  beat 
Lee's  army,  if  possible,  north  of  Richmond;  then,  after  destroying  his  lines  of 
communication  north  of  the  James  River,  to  transfer  the  army  to  the  south  side 
and  besiege  Lee  in  Richmond,  or  follow  him  south  if  he  should  retreat.  I  now 
find,  after  more  than  thirty  days  of  trial,  that  the  enemy  deems  it  of  the  first 
importance  to  run  no  risks  with  the  armies  they  now  have.  They  act  purely  on 
the  defensive,  behind  breastworks,  or  feebly  on  the  offensive  immediately  in  front 
of  them,  and  where  in  case  of  repulse  they  can  instantly  retire  behind  them. 
Without  a  greater  sacrifice  of  human  life  than  I  am  willing  to  make,  all  cannot  be 
accomplished  that  I  had  designed  outside  of  the  city.  I  have,  therefore,  resolved 
upon  the  following  plan :  I  will  continue  to  hold  substantially  the  ground  now 
occupied  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  taking  advantage  of  any  favorable  circum 
stance  that  may  present  itself,  until  the  cavalry  can  be  sent  west  to  destroy  the 
Virginia  Central  Railroad  from  about  Heaver  Dam  for  some  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miles  west.  When  this  is  effected,  I  will  move  the  army  to  the  south  side  of 
James  River,  either  by  crossing  the  Chickahominy  and  marching  near  to  City 
Point,  or  by  going  to  the  mouth  of  the  Chickahominy  on  the  north  side  and 
crossing  there.  To  provide  for  this  last  and  most  probable  contingency  six  or 
more  ferry-boats  of  the  largest  class  ought  to  be  immediately  provided.  Once  on 
the  south  side  of  the  James  River  I  can  cut  off  all  sources  of  supply  to  the  enemy, 
except  what  is  furnished  by  the  canal.  If  Hunter  succeeds  in  reaching  Lynch- 
burgh  that  will  be  lost  to  him  also.  Should  Hunter  not  succeed  I  will  still  make 
the  effort  to  destroy  the  canal  by  sending  cavalry  up  the  south  side  of  the  river 
with  a  pontoon  train  to  cross  wherever  they  can.  The  feeling  of  the  two  armies 


364  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  now  seems  to  be  that  the   rebels  can  protect  themselves   only  by 

strong  intrenchments,  while  our  army  is  not  only  confident  of  pro 
tecting  itself  without  intrenchments,  but  that  it  can  beat  and  drive  the  enemy 
wherever  and  whenever  he  can  be  found  without  this  protection. 

Very  respectfully, 

U.   S.   GRANT, 
Lieutenant-  General. 

Our  position,  we  found  at  daylight,  to  be  on  the  top  of 
Monday,  a  hill  half  a  mile  in  the  rear  of  the  earthworks  at  Cold 
June  6.  Harbor,  where  righting  still  continued.  Our  corps  was 
held  in  reserve.  Clothing,  shoes,  etc.,  were  issued  to  us, 
all  of  which  articles  we  were  in  much  need  of.  Have  been  under 
fire  every  day  but  two  since  May  4th.  During  this  time  the  army 
had  acquired,  as  already  stated,  a  well-established  faith  in  General 
Grant.  No  matter  what  happened  we  moved  forward.  No  back 
ward  steps  were  taken,  —  an  experience  to  which  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  had,  heretofore,  been  unused  to.  The  consequence  was 
that  the  "Old  Man"  (as  General  Grant  was  called)  was  always 
greeted  with  genuine  enthusiasm,  though  he  didn't  seem  to  care 
much  for  it.  In  his  old  blouse  and  hat  he  appeard  like  the  rest 
of  us  —  ragged  and  dirty.  Once,  when  we  passed  him,  he  sat  on  a 
platform-car  gnawing  away  on  an  old  ham  bone  ;  as  the  boys  cheered 
him  he  merely  gave  the  bone  a  flourish  for  a  second,  and  then  went 
on  gnawing  it  as  though  we  were  miles  away.  It  was  wonderful 
how  thoroughly  this  retiring,  undemonstrative  man  had  gained  the 
confidence  of  the  army.  In  spite  of  the  hard  work  we  had  been 
having,  the  men  were  in  good  spirits,  pleased  that  we  were  at  last 
accomplishing  something. 

Our  wagons  reached  us  to-day,  affording  the  officers  an  oppor 
tunity  to  pitch  their  tents,  which  they  had  not  done  since  the  3d 
of  May.  The  books  and  papers  of  the  regiment  were  overhauled 
and  records  made  of  our  work  during  their  absence. 

We  received  an  order  transferring  our  regiment  from  the  Second 
to  the  Third  Division  of  the  Fifth  Corps. 

For  the  ten  companies  of  the  regiment  we  had  only  four  line 
officers  on  duty. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  365 

1864.  We  remained  in  camp  at  this  place,  within  eight  miles 

of  Richmond,  until  June  nth.  Artillery  firing  was  kept 
up  most  of  the  time,  and  on  one  occasion  all  night.  A  soldier  be 
comes  so  accustomed  to  this  thing  that  he  is  rarely  disturbed. 

LEARY'S  HOUSE,  June  6,  1864,  4.30  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HUMPHREYS  : 

The  head  of  my  last  division  is  just  coming  into  camp.  We  have  been  in  the 
rear  of  the  column  on  the  road  all  night,  and  I  stayed  there  to  see  what  would 
be  done  by  the  enemy.  They  made  a  considerable  demonstration  by  yelling  and 
firing  about  9.30  P.M.,  and  disconcerted  us  a  little.  It  is  almost  useless,  I  think, 
to  attempt  marching  these  dark  nights,  unless  it  is  for  the  mere  object  of  safely 
retiring  from  a  position.  It  was  3  A.M.  before  the  rear  of  my  column  got  on  the 
way,  and  it  was  so  on  all  our  previous  efforts.  The  road  was  good,  but  narrow 
and  through  forests.  The  men  being  unacquainted  with  the  roads,  on  all  descents 
step  out  just  as  one  does  in  a  strange  house  when  they  go  down-stairs.  It  is  un 
avoidable,  the  inclination  to  feel  before  planting  the  foot,  and  the  frequent  tum 
bles  they  get  off  of  banks  and  other  places  makes  them  do  it  in  spite  of  every  effort 
of  their  officers;  then,  too,  in  the  night  an  officer  cannot  be  distinguished,  nor 
those  who  disobey  him,  so  that  practically  an  army  on  one  of  these  dark  nights 
marches  a  little  better  than  the  crowd  that  walks  the  streets,  as  far  as  organiza 
tion  is  concerned.  The  men  never  march  well  except  on  a  retreat,  when  they  are 
all  hurried  forward  with  the  common  instinct  of  fear.  The  consequence,  besides, 
of  this  is  that  the  men  are  unfitted  to-day  to  do  the  work  they  may  be  called  upon. 
I  find  shoes  have  arrived  and  will  be  issued  this  morning.  They  are  greatly 
needed. 

G.   K.   WARREN, 

Major-  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

June  6,  1864,  IO  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HUMPHREYS,  Chief  of  St<iff : 

GENERAL:  I  believe  if  I  should  remain  here  to-night  I  could  get  up  the  bag 
gage  wagons  of  the  corps,  sort  out  that  of  the  killed  and  wounded  officers,  let 
those  remaining  change  their  clothes,  and  dispense  with  half  our  baggage  wagons 
for  use  in  other  ways.  Will  I  be  here  long  enough  to  effect  this? 

G.    K.   WARREN, 

.Major-  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

June  6,  1864,  10  A.M. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  WARREN,  Commanding  Ftftk  Corps  : 

I  am   unable  to  say  authoritatively  whether  you  will  remain  here  to-day  and 


366  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  to-night  or  not,  but  I  am  under  the  impression  you  will,  and  that 

it  would  be  worth  while  to  undertake  what  you  mention. 

A.   A.    HUMPHREYS, 
Major- General  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

In  a  communication  received  from  corps  headquarters 

Thursday,    respecting  the  order  of  march,  etc.,  appears  the  following 

June  q.  , 

paragraph  : 

Great  detention  of  the  whole  column,  especially  on  night  marches, 
has  arisen  from  the  indisposition  of  the  troops  to  cross  small  streams  and  the 
shallow  swamps  with  which  the  country  abounds,  except  in  single  file.  No  stream 
or  like  obstruction,  that  does  not  wet  their  cartridge-boxes,  must  detain  the 
soldiers  of  this  corps  for  a  moment.  Brigade  commanders  will  station  a  staff 
officer  at  such  points,  who  will  see  that  each  regiment  marches  without  halting. 

We  may  have  acquired  a  great  fondness  for  the  external  use  of 
water,  but  we  found  it  difficult  to  overcome  our  natural  prejudice 
against  wet  feet ;  hence  this  order  to  prevent  men  hesitating  when 
coming  to  a  stream. 

The  rest  and  sleep  allowed  the  men  since  the  6th 
Friday,  did  good  service.  On  the  7th  our  old  friends  of  the 
June  10.  Ninth  New  York  (Eighty-third  Volunteers)  started  for 
home,  their  term  of  enlistment  having  expired.  We 
had  been  together  a  long  time  and  their  departure  was  like  the  sep 
aration  of  old  friends.  In  bidding  "good-by"  we  couldn't  repress 
the  feeling  of  gladness  we  felt  for  them  at  their  good  luck  and  the 
hope  that  we  might  soon  meet  again,  as  our  own  time  of  return 
was  drawing  nigh  and  already  near  enough  for  us  to  begin  counting 
the  days.  This  excellent  regiment  took  back  only  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men. 

Yesterday  we  were  treated  to  a  new  experience.  A  correspondent 
of  the  "  Philadelphia  Inquirer,"  who  had  written  some  libellous  letters 
against  General  Meade,  was  escorted  through  the  army  by  a  Provost 
Marshal's  guard,  his  back  ornamented  with  a  board  on  which  was 
plainly  printed,  "  LIBELLER  OF  THE  PRESS."  His  appearance 
afforded  us  a  good  deal  of  amusement,  in  spite  of  the  probable 
misery  of  his  feelings. 

On  June   10,  1864,  an  order  was  received   that  no  bass  drums 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  367 

1864.  would  longer  be  tolerated,  and  brigade  inspectors  were 

instructed  to  see  that  they  were   properly  disposed  of. 
Exit  bass  drum. 

"The  man  that  hath  no  music  in  himself, 
Nor  is  not  mov'd  with  concord  of  sweet  sounds, 
Is  fit  for  treasons,  stratagems,  and  spoils," 

saith  the  poet.  There  were  no  tears  shed  in  the  army  at  this  depri 
vation.  As  long  as  rations  were  issued  regularly,  with  an  occasional 
noggin  of  whiskey,  we  could  spare  all  the  drums. 

Marched  at  5  A.M.  to  Bottom  Church,  otherwise 
Saturday,  called  "  Shokoe  Hill  Church,"  a  distance  of  eight  miles. 
June  ii.  This  place  is  about  three  miles  from  Bottom  Bridge  on 
the  Chickahominy  River.  We  camped  on  the  ground 
occupied  by  McClellan's  troops  in  1862,  —  a  fine  grassy  spot  with 
splendid  water.  Some  of  McClellan's  old  tent  poles  were  still  to  be 
seen  lying  about. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  following  communications  that  the  "  rebs  " 
were  getting  nervous.  Their  affairs  did  not  appear  to  be  running 
with  the  same  smoothness  they  did  before  Grant  took  command. 
They  were  beginning  to  realize  that  to  fight  a  man  who  has  "  no 
strategy  "  and  who  is  only  a  "  butcher  "  requires  more  intelligence 

than  they  hitherto  had  suspected  : 

JUNE  ii,  1864. 
GENERAL  BEAUREGARD,  Commanding: 

GENERAL  :  I  am  so  much  disturbed  about  our  condition,  but  especially  about 
our  relations  to  Petersburg,  that  you  must  excuse  me  for  a  suggestion.  It  seems 
to  me  that  there  is  but  one  way  to  save  the  country  and  bring  the  authorities  to 
their  senses,  and  that  is  to  say,  "  I  (jannot  guard  Bermuda  Hundred  and  Peters 
burg  both,  with  my  present  forces.  •  I  have  decided  that  Petersburg  is  the  impor 
tant  point,  and  will  withdraw  my  whole  command  to  that  place  to-night."  It  is 
arrant  nonsense  for  Lee  to  say  that  Grant  can't  make  a  night  march  without  his 
knowing  it.  Has  not  Grant  slipped  around  him  four  times  already?  Did  not 
Burnside  retire  from  Fredericksburg,  and  Hooker  from  the  Wilderness,  without 
his  knowing  it?  Grant  can  get  ten  thousand  or  twenty  thousand  men  to  West- 
over  and  Lee  know  nothing  of  it.  What,  then,  is  to  become  of  Petersburg?  Its 
loss  surely  involves  that  of  Richmond,  perhaps  of  the  Confederacy.  An  earnest 
appeal  is  called  for  now,  else  a  terrible  disaster  may,  and  I  think  will,  befall  us. 
Very  respectfully, 

D.  II.  HILL, 
Major- General  and  Aide-de-Camp. 


368  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  [Indorsement.] 

SWIFT  CREEK,  VA.,  June  12,  1864. 
GENTERAL  HILL  : 

I  fully  concur  in  the  above  views,  which  have  been  already  communicated  to 
the  Government  in  substance  if  not  in  words.  I  consider  it  useless  again  to  do 
so,  as  it  would  produce  no  good  results,  and  my  records  are  already  "  all  right." 
I  shall  continue  to  hold  "  the  lines  "  as  long  as  there  is  the  slightest  hope  of  being 
able  to  do  so  with  success  and  without  endangering  Petersburg. 

G.  T.  BEAUREGARD. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

COLD  HARBOR,  VA.,  June  n,  1864. 

MAJ.-GEN.  B.  F.  BUTLER,  Coindg.  Dept.  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina: 

GENERAL  :  The  movement  to  transfer  this  army  to  the  south  side  of  James  River 
will  commence  after  dark  to-morrow  night.  Colonel  Comstock,  of  my  staff,  was 
sent  specially  to  ascertain  what  was  necessary  to  make  your  position  secure  in  the 
interval,  during  which  the  enemy  might  use  most  of  his  force  against  you,  and 
also  to  ascertain  what  point  on  the  river  we  should  reach  to  effect  a  crossing,  if  it 
should  not  be  practicable  to  reach  this  side  of  the  river  at  Bermuda  Hundred. 
Colonel  Comstock  has  not  yet  returned,  so  that  I  cannot  make  instructions  as 
definite  as  I  would  wish,  but  the  time  between  this  and  Sunday  night  being  so 
short  in  which  to  get  word  to  you,  I  must  do  the  best  I  can. 

Colonel  Dent  goes  to  make  arrangements  for  gun-boats  and  transportation  to 
send  up  the  Chickahominy  to  take  to  you  the  Eighteenth  Corps.  This  corps  will 
leave  its  position  in  the  trenches  as  early  in  the  evening  to-morrow  as  possible, 
and  make  a  forced  march  to  Cole's  Landing  or  Ferry,  where  it  should  reach  by 
10  A.M.  the  following  morning.  This  corps  numbers  now  fifteen  thousand  three 
hundred  men.  They  take  with  them  neither  wagons  nor  artillery,  these  latter 
marching  with  the  balance  of  the  army  to  the  James  River.  The  remainder  of  the 
army  will  cross  the  Chickahominy  at  Long  Bridge  and  at  Jones'  and  strike  the 
river  at  the  most  practicable  crossing  below  City  Point.  I  directed  several  days 
ago  that  all  reinforcements  for  the  army  should  be  sent  to  you.  I  am  not  advised 
of  the  number  that  may  have  gone,  but  suppose  you  have  received  from  six 
thousand  to  ten  thousand.  General  Smith  will  also  reach  you  as  soon  as  the 
enemy  could  going  by  the  way  of  Richmond.  The  balance  of  the  force  will  not 
be  more  than  one  day  behind,  unless  detained  by  the  whole  of  Lee's  army,  in 
which  case  you  will  be  strong  enough. 

I  wish  you  to  direct  the  proper  staff  officers,  your  chief  engineer  and  chief 
quartermaster,  to  commence  at  once  the  collection  of  all  the  means  in  their  reach 
for  crossing  the  army  on  its  arrival.  If  there  is  a  point  below  City  Point  where  a 
pontoon  bridge  can  be  thrown,  have  it  laid.  Expecting  the  arrival  of  the  Eigh 
teenth  Corps  by  Monday  night,  if  you  deem  it  practicable  from  the  force  you  now 
have  to  seize  and  hold  Petersburg,  you  may  prepare  to  start  on  arrival  of  troops 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  369 

1864.  to  hold  your  present  lines.     I  do  not  want  Petersburg  visited,  how 

ever,  unless  it  is  held,  nor  an  attempt  to  take  it  unless  you  feel  a 
reasonable  degree  of  confidence  of  success.  If  you  should  go  there,  I  think  troops 
should  take  nothing  with  them  except  what  they  carry,  depending  upon  supplies 
being  sent  after  the  place  is  secured.  If  Colonel  Dent  should  not  succeed  in 
securing  the  requisite  amount  of  transportation  for  the  Eighteenth  Corps  before 
reaching  you,  please  have  the  balance  supplied. 

I  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

U.    S.    GRANT, 

Lieutenant-  General. 

P.S.  —  On  reflection,  I  will  send  the  Eighteenth  Corps  by  way  of  White  House. 
The  distance  which  they  will  have  to  march  will  be  enough  shorter  to  enable 
them  to  reach  you  about  the  same  time,  and  the  uncertainty  of  navigation  on  the 
Chickahominy  will  be  avoided. 

U.   S.    G. 

Remained  undisturbed  until  5  P.M.,  when  the  whole 
Sunday,  army  was  put  in  motion.  With  frequent  delays  we 
June  12.  marched  to  the  Chickahominy,  where  we  waited  for  two 
hours  until  a  pontoon  bridge  across  the  river  was  com 
pleted.  At  3  A.M.  we  crossed  the  river  behind  Wilson's  cavalry, 
continuing  the  march. 

Our  base  of  supplies  had  been  changed  to  the  Chickahominy. 

A  pontoon  boat  that  was  in  use  by  the  army  at  this  time  was  a 
more  substantial  affair  than  might  be  supposed  by  a  person  who  had 
never  seen  one.  It  was  strong  and  serviceable,  often  very  heavy, 
and  was  carted  along  on  wheels.  On  arriving  at  a  river  it  was  slid 
off  into  the  water,  rowed  out  to  its  position,  and  made  stationary  by 
anchors  and  ropes  attached  to  either  end.  Timbers  were  then  laid 
from  boat  to  boat,  with  the  planks  on  top  firmly  lashed  together  with 
ropes.  When  used  as  a  permanent  crossing,  where  it  was  of  consider 
able  length,  signals  were  adopted  in  the  night  to  prevent  the  confusion 
that  might  arise  if  two  teams  met  while  crossing,  as  there  was  room  for 
only  a  single  file.  A  box  containing  a  lantern  was  placed  at  each  end 
of  the  bridge  to  signal  the  sentry  at  the  opposite  end  before  a  team 
was  allowed  to  cross.  When  pursued  by  the  enemy,  without  time  to 
remove  it  altogether,  the  anchors  were  taken  up  and  one  end  of  the 
bridge  detached  from  the  shore,  when  the  remainder  would  swing 


370  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  round  with  the  current  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  bank, 

where  it  could  be  taken  up  at  leisure. 

Monday,  After  crossing  the  river  this  morning  we  marched  up 

June  13.  stream  about  three  miles,  and  then  halted  for  awhile. 
The  cavalry  becoming  engaged,  our  division  advanced 
to  their  support.  The  place  where  they  were  fighting  was  White 
Oak  Swamp,  the  same  ground  on  which  McClellan  fought  the  battle 
of  that  name  in  1862.  The  debris  of  the  old  battle  still  remained 
scattered  about  the  field. 

It  vvas  not  intended  to  bring  on  a  battle  at  this  point,  but  only  to 
cover  and  protect  the  roads.  The  skirmishers  of  our  division  suf 
fered  severely,  though  we  escaped  with  the  loss  of  one  man  who  was 
wounded. 

In  the  afternoon  we  changed  front  to  the  left,  and  in  company 
with  the  Thirty-ninth  threw  up  earthworks  on  the  left  of  the  second 
brigade,  subsequently  putting  out  skirmishers. 

Two  rebel  skirmishers  strayed  from  their  lines  up  to  ours,  asking 
where  their  line  was.  One  of  our  boys  answered  them,  and  in  they 
came,  supposing  we  were  their  own  troops.  They  proved  to  be 
North  Carolina  men  of  Hill's  corps  which  was  in  front  of  us. 

We  became  warmly  engaged  with  the  enemy  until  darkness  put  a 
stop  to  the  firing.  About  9  P.M.  we  were  withdrawn  and  marched 
to  St.  Mary's  Church,  passing  the  "  Iron  Brigade,"  which  was  resting 
on  the  side  of  the  road  near  the  church.  We  took  the  right-hand 
road,  and  after  marching  an  hour  or  so  we  found  ourselves  again  pass 
ing  the  same  brigade  in  the  same  position  near  the  church,  where, 
this  time,  we  met  "  Helen  Damnation."  We  were  too  tired  to  appreci 
ate  the  explanation  of  this  movement,  but  passed  along,  taking  the 
left-hand  road,  this  time  proceeding  on  to  Charles  City  Court-House, 
where  we  halted  at  3  A.M.,  having  caught  up  with  our  division. 

At  half-past  five  o'clock  we  started  again,  marching 
Tuesday,       about  six  miles  across    swamps  and    fields,    and    again 
June  14.        halted    about    a    mile  from   Charles  City  Court-House, 
where  was  located  the  army  headquarters. 

The  movements  of  the  Fifth  Corps  during  the  last  three  days,  we 
subsequently  learned,  were  a  feint  intended  to  deceive  the  enemy 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  371 

1864.  into  believing  that  the  army  was  advancing  on  Richmond, 

while  in  fact  it  was  marching  to  the  James  River,  where 

it  crossed,  and  which  was  about  four  miles  from  our  present  position. 

We  remained  quiet  all  day.     Drew  rations,  which  were 

Wednesday,  brought  to  us  via  the  James   River,   our  new  base  of 

June  15.        supplies. 

We  were  treated  to  a  genuine  surprise  to-day.  When 
we  left  Boston  we  had  as  fine  a  set  of  twenty-five  wagons  as  could  be 
found,  all  labelled  "Thirteenth  Massachusetts  Regiment."  From 
time  to  time  reductions  were  made,  until  the  number  was  reduced  to 
our  present  allowance  of  one  wagon.  When  we  saw  these  wagons 
of  ours,  now  engaged  in  hauling  some  general's  baggage,  it  grieved 
us  to  see  them  put  to  such  a  use,  instead  of  the  more  noble  one  of 
carrying  the  effects  of  the  rank  and  file. 

At  3   A.M.  we  marched  to  the  James  River,  passing 
Thursday,     through  Charles  City  Court-House,  now  only  a  town  of 
June  16.        chimney- stacks,  the  houses  having  been  destroyed  during 
McClellan's  campaign  of  1862. 

When  our  eyes  beheld  the  James  River,  it  seemed  to  many  of  us 
as  though  we  had  never  seen  a  picture  of  greater  beauty.  Nature 
was  in  her  loveliest  garb.  Vessels  were  moving  about  in  the  calm, 
blue  water  of  the  river,  while  on  either  side  of  the  two  pontoon 
bridges,  two  thousand  two  hundred  feet  in  length,  were  stationed 
gunboats  in  close  proximity,  anchored  for  protection.  On  the  bluffs 
overlooking  the  river  could  be  seen  the  stately  colonial  mansions  of 
wealthy  planters,  commanding  noble  views  up  and  down  the  river. 
If  one  was  to  pick  out  a  spot  on  which  to  dwell,  where  could  be 
found  a  place  of  such  surpassing  loveliness  ? 

We  crossed  the  river  from  Wilcox  Ferry  to  Windmill  Point,  on 
the  steamer  "Thomas  Powell."  After  crossing,  we  halted  for  a 
couple  of  hours  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  There  was  a  beautiful 
beach  at  this  point  of  the  river,  affording  an  excellent  opportunity 
for  bathing,  which  the  whole  corps  took  advantage  of.  In  our  three 
years'  service,  we  ran  across  no  place  like  that  for  a  swim,  and  we 
made  the  most  of  it,  and  a  mighty  fine  time  we  had  too. 

About    3    o'clock   we    resumed    the    march   towards    Petersburg, 


372  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  halting  at  1 1  P.M.  Distance  for  the  day  was  fifteen  miles. 

The  roads  were  crooked  and  narrow,  winding  over  hills 
and  across  swamps,  now  fragrant  with  the  perfume  of  the  wild  mag 
nolias,  and  resounding  with  the  incessant  piping  of  hundreds  of  frogs. 
At  i  o'clock  this  morning,  having  had  two  hours' 
Friday,  rest,  we  resumed  our  march,  passing  through  Prince 
June  17.  George's  Court-House  in  the  darkness  to  a  point  about 
three  miles  from  Petersburg,  and  bivouacked. 

At  8  A.M.  we  moved  to  the  rear  of  the  outer  line  of  the  Peters 
burg  intrenchments,  where  we  remained  until  dusk,  in  support  of  the 
Ninth  Corps.  Laid  in  the  earthworks,  under  a  desultory  firing  of 
the  enemy,  which  was  kept  up  nearly  all  night. 

We  passed  on  our  march  to-day  the  Fifty-ninth  Massachusetts,  which 
regiment  had  several  officers  formerly  members  of  the  Thirteenth,  and 
we  found  their  canteens  contained  something  besides  water. 

This  day  being  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  one 
of  the  boys  thought  some  notice  ought  to  be  taken  of  that  historic 
event.  It  so  happened  that  during  the  day  our  division  was  re 
quired  to  make  a  charge  on  the  enemy's  works,  an  almost  daily 
event,  by  the  way,  during  which  several  men  of  the  division  were 
killed  or  wounded,  as  generally  happens  on  such  occasions.  Now 
the  guns  of  these  men  were  seen  lying  out  in  front,  a  suggestive  and 
tempting  sight  to  his  scheme.  A  detail  was  made  to  go  out  after 
dark  and  bring  them  into  the  works.  The  guns  were  then  loaded 
with  the  ramrods  and  fired  into  the  enemy's  works.  The  whizzing 
noise  that  ensued  as  these  ramrods  left  the  guns  was  too  funny  for 
anything,  and  must  have  produced  a  sensation  in  the  rebel  camp. 
They  would  have  been  a  good  deal  more  astonished  if  they  had  found 
themselves,  by  this  means,  pinned  together  as  chickens'  livers  are 
prepared  for  cooking.  The  racket  that  this  deviltry  made  started  a 
firing  all  along  the  line  of  both  armies,  and  might  have  ended  seri 
ously,  though  we  believe  it  didn't. 

Advanced  at  daybreak  and  found  the  rebels  had  aban- 
Saturday, 

June  18.        doned  their  line  of  last  night;  our  brigade,  which  was 

in  the  first  line,  passing  over  the  dead  bodies  of  both 

armies  that  laid  in  our  path,  driving  the  enemy's  skirmishers  about 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  373 

1864.  a  mile,  when  we  came  in  sight  of  the  rebel  earthworks. 

We  then  halted  and  threw  up  works  for  our  own  protection. 

We  soon  made  another  advance  across  a  field  toward  the  railroad. 
A  deep  cut,  dug  out  for  the  railroad,  passed  through  the  hill  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  front  of  us,  to  gain  which  we  had  to 
run  the  gauntlet  of  musketry  and  artillery  from  the  enemy  intrenched 
on  a  hill  the  other  side  of  the  railroad.  Word  was  passed  along  that 
a  dash  was  to  be  made,  under  fire,  directly  into  this  cut,  and  it  was 
done.  As  the  men  in  the  front  line  reached  the  edge  of  the  cut, 
fifteen  feet  high,  they  jumped  over  the  edge  into  the  soft  yielding 
sand,  followed  by  the  men  in  the  rear  lines,  who  came  tumbling  on 
top  of  the  first  line,  before  the  men  could  extricate  themselves  from 
their  uncomfortable  predicament,  rolling  over  each  other  clear  to  the 
bottom.  A  more  ludicrous  sight  could  hardly  be  imagined  in  spite  of 
the  seriousness  of  the  occasion.  The  lines  were  reformed  in  the  cut. 
The  Thirteenth  was  then  deployed  as  skirmishers  and  marched  out 
of  the  cut  by  the  right  flank  partially  protected  by  scattering  woods 
and  a  ravine,  then  faced  to  the  front  and  advanced  up  the  side  of 
the  hill  where  the  enemy  was  intrenched,  and  where  we  halted  and 
worked  all  night  throwing  up  breastworks.  The  enemy  could  be 
distinctly  heard  doing  the  same  thing  on  the  top  of  the  hill. 

A  gully  made  by  heavy  rains  was  soon  found  in  this  ploughed  field 
extending  from  the  bank  of  the  river  to  the  upper  line  of  the  earth 
works.  This  we  deepened  and  extended  so  as  to  form  a  sunken  way 
that  could  be  safely  traversed. 

This  hill  was  afterwards  known  as  "  Fort  Crater." 

We  were  expecting  to  make  a  charge  at  half-past  seven  o'clock 
on  the  works  in  front  of  us,  but  it  was  abandoned. 

We  had  six  men  wounded.  In  building  our  works,  we  utilized 
the  dead  bodies  of  the  rebels  by  burying  them  in  the  earth  which  we 
threw  up  from  the  trenches,  serving  the  double  purpose  of  burial  and 
increasing  the  size  of  the  breastworks. 

At  daylight  we  found  ourselves  within  a  hundred  and 

ay>         fifty  yards  of  a  rebel  fort,  high  above  us  on  the  crest  of 
June  19. 

the  hill,  with  guns  staring  us  in  the  face.     The  rebels 

were    unable    to   depress   their   artillery  sufficiently  to  trouble    the 


874  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  skirmish  line  so  near  them,  but  the  infantry  made  it  lively 

for  us.     Any  portion  of  a  human  body  exposed  above  the 
earthworks  was  sure  to  draw  a  perfect  shower  of  bullets. 

That  they  might  waste  as  much  ammunition  as  possible,  we  fre 
quently  tried  that  old  gag,  so  often  told,  of  raising  a  cap  above  the 
works  by  means  of  a  ramrod  to  attract  their  fire.  Collecting  the 
guns  of  the  men  who  had  been  killed  or  wounded,  we  extracted 
the  ramrods  and  fired  them  over  into  the  enemy's  works.  The 
enemy  soon  discovered  what  made  the  peculiar  noise  and  returned 
the  compliment,  until  both  sides  became  tired  of  the  novelty.  We 
had  five  men  wounded  during  the  day. 

While  here,  ammunition  and  rations  were  brought  to  us  through  the 
sunken  way  already  described. 

We  were  relieved  at  midnight. 

The  regiment  returned  to  the  brigade,  taking  position 

Monday,       in  the  earthworks.     Musketry  and  sharpshooting  all  day. 

June  20.        Two  men  wounded.     One  of  the  wounded  men  was  the 

color-sergeant,  who  made   more  fuss  about    losing    his 

haversack  than  he  did  about  being  shot. 

At  night  we  were  detached  from  the  brigade  and  sent  to  the  left 
to  fill  a  gap  occasioned  by  the  withdrawal  of  Griffin's  brigade  for 
some  special  service. 

Rations  of  potatoes  and  cabbage  issued. 

George  Washington  called  on  us  to-day.  He  began  his  military 
career  as  an  officer's  servant,  in  the  Thirteenth.  Having  access  to  his 
employer's  canteen  he  imbibed  some  of  the  spirit  of  "  '76  "  which  led 
him  to  enlist  in  the  Fifth  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  and  now  he  was  a 
"  bloody  hero  "  like  the  rest  of  us.  There's  lots  of  patriotic  spirit 
in  a  canteen  after  it  has  been  to  the  commissary. 

The  earthworks  were  separated  from  those  of  the 
Tuesday,  enemy  by  a  distance  of  only  four  hundred  yards  and  ex- 
June  21.  posed  to  the  full  rays  of  the  sun.  To-day  it  was  very 
warm  without  a  breath  of  air  stirring.  The  moment  any 
thing  appeared  above  the  works  it  was  sure  to  be  saluted  with  a 
dozen  bullets.  Great  caution  had  therefore  to  be  exercised  in  our 
movements.  A  trench  was  dug  from  the  works  to  the  rear  like  the 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  375 

1864.  one  at  the  "  crater  "  which  made  a  passageway  for  the 

boys  in  procuring  rations,  ammunition,  etc.     As  it  con 
nected  with  an  ice-house,  we  had  all  the  ice  we  wanted. 

A  little  later  the  two  hills  now  occupied  by  the  opposing  armies 
were  strongly  intrenched  and  called  Forts  Hell  and  Damnation. 
Thereafter  when  a  man  spoke  those  words  it  was  supposed  he  alluded 
to  the  forts. 

Our  situation  at  this  point  was  said  to  be  the  most  dangerous  as 
well  as  the  most  disagreeable,  notwithstanding  we  had  only  one  man 
wounded  to-day.  We  were  provided  with  a  ration  of  fresh  beef. 

The  regiment  remained  in  earthworks,  detached  from 
Wednesday,  the  brigade.  Our  earthworks  were  on  the  top  of  a  hill, 
June  22.  while  those  of  the  "rebs  "  were  on  the  next  hill  beyond, 
which  was  higher  than  ours.  It  was  the  most  exposed 
place  for  a  long  distance.  Being  farther  advanced  than  the  troops  on 
our  right,  no  skirmishers  were  out  during  the  day,  but,  instead,  men 
were  detailed  to  keep  watch  and  to  fire  occasionally.  At  night  some 
pits  in  front  were  occupied. 

About  4  A.M.,  while  few  of  the  regiment  but  the  alarm  guard  were 
awake,  one  of  the  boys  crawled  from  his  blanket  and  began  chatting 
with  two  or  three  others,  when  he  remarked  that  he  was  going  to  try 
one  or  two  shots  ;  whereupon  he  stepped  to  the  embankment,  and 
just  as  he  sighted  his  gun  was  struck  in  the  neck.  His  posture  was 
such  that  the  bullet  entered  his  body  and  he  fell  back  and  died  in  a 
few  moments,  without  speaking.  During  the  past  month  this  man 
had  been  counting  the  days  and  even  hours  when  he  would  see  his 
wife  and  child  again.  "  One  day  less "  was  his  salutation  each 
morning.  On  this  particular  morning  it  was  "  only  twenty-four  days 
more,  boys  !  "  Few  of  us  had  wives  or  children  to  be  anxious  about, 
and  his  death  excited  moer  than  the  usual  pity  for  his  hard  luck. 

We  had  another  man  killed  in  the  afternoon.  He  was  a  conscript 
and  came  to  us  with  that  batch  of  reprobates  about  which  we  have 
written  so  much.  He  was  an  Irishman,  and  when  assigned  to  his  com 
pany,  no  one  wanted  him.  No  one  knew  his  history  until  later,  when 
we  learned  that  he  was  a  drafted  man.  Supposing  him  to  be  like  the 
others,  he  was  shunned  by  all.  As  he  stood  apart  from  the  rest,  the 


376  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  tears  were  seen  to  roll  down  the  poor  fellow's  cheeks. 

Whereupon  one  of  the  boys,  whose  sympathy  was  excited 
at  the  sight,  stepped  up  to  him  and  with  kind  words  told  him  to  come 
and  tent  with  him  and  his  chum,  and  with  these  two  boys  he  stayed 
until  he  was  killed.  The  feelings  of  this  man  must  have  been  terrible  ; 
drafted  and  sent  to  the  front  in  companionship  with  the  vilest  ruffians, 
to  stand  friendless  and  forsaken  in  the  midst  of  an  army.  This  man 
when  drafted  was  unable  to  convince  the  examining  surgeon  that  he 
was  disqualified  from  performing  the  duties  of  a  soldier  by  reason  of 
an  old  injury  to  his  shoulder  which  prevented  him  from  carrying  a  gun. 
He  persisted  that  he  could  not  do  so,  and  threw  away  every  musket 
that  was  given  him,  so  that  he  was  useless  as  a  fighting  man.  Upon 
being  taken  as  a  messmate  by  the  two  boys,  he  conceived  a  great 
fondness  for  them  and  was  very  useful  in  many  ways.  As  a  forager 
he  had  no  equal,  so  the  boys  lived  very  well,  even  when  rations  were 
short.  When  the  regiment  went  into  battle,  armed  with  a  spade  he 
kept  close  to  his  messmates,  insisting  upon  keeping  with  them,  even 
against  their  remonstrances,  saying,  "  Surely,  if  one  of  ye's  is  kilt, 
I'll  be  handy  by  with  the  spade  to  kiver  ye  up."  At  one  place  where 
we  had  thrown  up  earthworks,  water  was  only  procured  by  running 
the  gauntlet  of  the  rebel  fire,  where  each  man  in  a  company  must 
load  himself  with  canteens  and  take  his  turn,  with  its  chances,  or 
show  his  weakness.  One  day  this  conscript  succeeded  in  collecting 
the  canteens,  and  insisted  upon  doing  this  service  for  one  of  his 
chums  whose  turn  it  was.  He  was  expostulated  with,  but  before  he 
could  be  stopped,  was  half  way  to  the  spring,  saying,  ".It's  meself 
has  no  frinds  !  "  On  the  way  back  he  was  knocked  over  by  a 
bullet  which  struck  one  of  the  canteens,  and  feeling  the  water  run 
down  his  leg,  supposed  it  was  blood.  "  I'm  kilt,  I'm  kilt !  "  he 
hollered,  and  the  boys  rushed  out  and  brought  him  in,  to  find  that  it 
was  only  the  canteen  that  was  "kilt,"  the  concussion  of  which 
knocked  him  over.  He  continued  to  serve  his  comrades  faithfully, 
standing  by  their  side  in  every  hour  of  danger,  until  to-day,  when  a 
bullet  struck  him  and  he  fell  dead  beside  them.  It  was  a  hard  case, 
as  it  was  a  very  singular  one.  The  boys  took  him  to  the  rear  and 
buried  him  beside  his  other  comrade  who  was  killed  in  the  morning. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  377 

1864.  One  of  the  boys  who   assisted  at  these   burials  was 

wounded  on  his  way  back  to  the  trenches. 

Remained   in    the  earthworks.     One    man  wounded. 
Thursday,  . 

Tune  21         The  boys  were  getting  more  cautious.     Heretofore  they 

had  been  rather  reckless.  As  compared  to  the  rest  of 
our  brigade  our  regiment  had  been  fortunate  in  the  number  of 
killed  and  wounded. 

We  were  relieved  about  7  A.M.  and  moved  to  the  left 
Friday,  about  a  mile,  where  we  joined  our  division,  and  by  noon 
June  24.  were  established  in  position  in  the  first  line,  under  a 
brisk  fire,  on  the  left  of  the  Jerusalem  Road,  at  a  point 
where  the  heavy  fighting  was  done  on  the  twenty-second.  We  began 
at  once  to  throw  up  earthworks. 

During  the  night  an  alarm  was  sounded  from  the  skirmish  line,  but 
nothing  came  from  it. 

We  were  now  on  the  ground  where  Fort  Warren  (subsequently 
called  Fort  Davis)  was  built. 

One  of  the  boys  who,  being  a  drummer,  had  more  liberty  than  the 
rest  of  us,  took  advantage  of  his  opportunities  to  learn  what  he  could 
of  the  country  about  and  the  position  of  other  troops  in  our 
vicinity ;  all  of  which  was  interesting  to  those  of  us  who  were  con 
fined  within  the  narrow  limits  of  earthworks.  He  was  an  observing 
chap,  this  boy  of  ours,  and  what  he  saw  during  his  peregrinations  he 
related  on  his  return,  to  our  great  amusement  and  edification. 
To-day  he  returned  with  a  startling  piece  of  information.  We 
guessed  all  sorts  of  things  we  thought  he  might  have  seen,  from 
General  Washington's  body  servant  to  a  "  straight  flush,"  until  at 
last,  in  despair  we  demanded  to  know,  without  any  more  nonsense, 
what  it  was.  "  A  NEW  RAIL  FENCE  !  "  —  "  Sam,  you  are  a  d — d  liar," 
was  the  response  that  was  made.  To  appreciate  what  a  miracle  this 
was,  one  should  have  been  with  the  army. 

The  Twelfth  Massachusetts  started  for  home  to-day, 
Saturday,      turning  over  their  recruits  to  the  Thirty-ninth  Massachu- 
june  25.         setts.     Our  turn  next.     The  Twelfth  Massachusetts  was 
one  of  the  finest  regiments  sent  out  by  the  State  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  and  had  a  record  of  which  it  was  justly  proud.     We  bade 


378  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  the  boys  good-by,  after  an  association  together  of  more 

than  two  years,  with  the  kindest  feelings  of  regard. 
Tuesday,  In  company  with  the  Thirty-ninth  Massachusetts  we 

June  28.        moved  to  the  front  about  half  a  mile  and  built  earthworks 
under  cover  of  the  night.     These  works  were   at  right 
angles  with  those  in  the  rear. 

Completed  the  works  which  we  had  been  laboring  on 
Thursday,     since  the  night  of  the  twenty-eighth. 
June  30.  The    regiment   was    complimented    in    orders    from 

General  Crawford,  for  our  efficiency  in  building  earth 
works.  It  was  about  the  last  chance  for  compliments,  as  in  sixteen 
days  more  we  should  "  Lay  down  the  shovel  and  the  hoe,  hoe,  hoe." 
Pickets  mutually  agreed  to  desist  from  sharpshooting.  We  wished 
they  might  desist  from  all  shooting  until  after  our  departure  for 
home  on  the  i6th  of  July.  It  seemed  as  if  that  joyous  day  would 
never  come. 

We  learned  that  time  drags  mighty  slowly  when  you 
Friday,  are  waiting  for  it  to  pass. 

July  x*  It  was  a  "  red  letter  "  day  with  us  to-day,  being  the  first 

time  we  had  drawn  rations  from  any  source  except  the 
government's  larder.  The  Sanitary  Commission  issued  to  us,  canned 
turkey  and  chicken,  canned  mutton  and  tomatoes,  condensed  milk, 
loaves  of  bread  and  lemons,  besides  other  things.  As  one  of 
the  boys  wittily  remarked,  "  They  always  fat  a  pig  just  before  they 
kill  him,  so  let  us  not  eat  too  much."  If  we  could  have  struck 
some  "  commissary  "  we  might  have  made  good  use  of  the  lemons. 

While  some  of  the  boys  were  crowded  together  about 

Thursday,     sundown  on  a  little  rise  at  the  edge  of  the  woods,  watch- 

July  7-          ing   a   "  reb "    double-quick  up  and   down  the  line  as 

punishment  for  exchanging  papers  on  picket,  a  shell  was 

thrown  among  his  comrades,  killing  one  and  wounding  two  men. 

The  enemy  taking  advantage  of  the  quiet  which  pre- 
Monday,  vailed  to-day,  and  the  carelessness  that  occurs  on  such 
July  ii.  occasions,  suddenly  opened  fire  with  artillery.  For  a  few 
minutes  the  scene  was  very  lively.  Nobody  of  our  regiment  was  hurt, 
though  the  colonel  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Massachusetts  was  killed. 


THIRTEENTH    MASK.     VOL 8.  379 

1864.  At  night  the    regiment  was  moved  back  to  assist  in 

building  Fort  Warren,  afterward  Fort  Davis,  in  honor  of 
the  colonel  of  the  Thirty-ninth. 

Still  at  work  on  the  fort,  which  was  laid  out  so  as  to  be, 
Wednesday, when  completed,  four  hundred  feet  square.  It  was  hard 
July  13.  work  and  continued  night  and  day,  the  men  being  re 
lieved  every  two  hours  for  rest.  It  took  eight  men  to 
get  one  shovelful  of  dirt  from  the  bottom  of  the  ditch  to  the  top  of 
the  work,  the  men  standing  on  little  niches  cut  in  the  side  and  pass 
ing  the  earth  from  one  to  another. 

GKNERAL  ORDERS,  "I 

Xo.  69.  )  HEADQUARTERS  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

July  13,  1864. 
[Extract.] 

4.  The  officers  and  enlisted  men  of  the  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  Volunteers 
whose  term  of  service  expires  on  the   i6th  instant  will  proceed  on  that  date  to 
Massachusetts  and  report  to  the  General  Superintendent  of  recruiting  service  for 
that  State  for  muster-out  and  discharge. 

The  Assistant  Commissionary  of  Muster  of  the  Third  Division  will  accompany 
the  command  to  the  place  of  embarkafion  and  see  that  no  officers  or  enlisted  men 
leave  the  army  except  those  entitled  to  discharge  by  reason  of  expiration  of 
time. 

5.  The  enlisted  men  of  the  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  Volunteers  whose  term 
of  service  does  not  expire  on  the  1 6th  instant  will  be  transferred  to  the  Thirty-ninth 
Massachusetts  Volunteers.     Their  late  officers  will  not  be  permitted  to  leave  the 
army  until  they  have  furnished  the  descriptive  lists  and  necessary  transfer  papers 
of  the  men  so  transferred. 

By  command  of 

MAJOR-GENERAL   WARREN. 


380  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

1864.  THE  happiest  day  we  had  experienced  for  many  a  long 

Thursday,  month  had  now  arrived.  We  were  to  turn  our  faces 
homeward,  having  received  orders  to  go  to  the  rear  and 
make  out  the  necessary  papers  for  our  departure,  turn 
ing  over  to  the  Thirty-ninth  Massachusetts  Regiment  all  enlisted 
men  whose  term  of  service  had  not  expired. 

No  more  marching,  no  more  skirmish  or  picket  duty,  no  more 
fighting,  and  no  more  digging.  It  was  hard  to  realize  that  in  a  few 
days  we  should  be  beyond  the  sound  of  the  "  long  roll ;  "  that  we 
would  soon  be  sitting  in  our  arm-chairs  at  home  criticising  the 
movements  of  the  army  and  its  generals,  like  a  disgruntled  tax-payer, 
without  the  risk  of  insubordination.  "  Put  down  those  rails  !  "  might, 
in  our  dreams,  disturb  our  slumber;  we  might  occasionally  be 
startled  by  an  imaginary  order  to  "Turn  out  the  guard!"  but  on 
waking  we  could  say,  "  Never  mind  the  guard  !  "  and  turn  over  to 
sleep  again.  Already  we  were  thinking  of  the  joy  in  store  for  us  in 
the  meeting  of  old  friends,  and  wondering  if  our  old  comrades  were 
as  anxious  to  see  us  as  we  were  them. 

While  our  papers  were  being  prepared  we  made  and  received 
calls  from  our  acquaintances  in  other  organizations,  with  whom  we 
had  been  long  associated,  bidding  them  "  good-by,"  until  6.30  P.M., 
when  we  took  up  the  line  of  march  to  City  Point.  The  boys  were 
in  high  spirits,  singing  the  old  songs  with  a  joy  that  hadn't  been 
felt  for  months.  The  rear  of  a  great  army,  with  its  wagon-trains 
loaded  with  food  and  ammunition,  which  we  met  on  the  road,  was  a 
curiosity  even  to  us.  The  soil  on  the  roads  was  so  ground  to  pow 
der,  almost  knee-deep,  that  in  the  bright  moonlight  the  atmosphere 
looked  like  a  fog. 

We  marched  six  miles,  and  then  halted.     During  one  of  our  halts 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  381 

1864.  some  of  the  boys  discovered  posts  driven  into  the  ground 

in  such  a  way  as  to  excite  their  curiosity  to  know  the  pur 
pose.  A  match  was  lighted  and  examination  made,  when  there  was 
seen  tacked  to  one  of  these  posts  a  paper  containing  the  information 
that  a  soldier  would  be  hanged  there  the  next  day  for  some  offence 
not  stated.  This  was  not  a  pleasant  reminder  of  a  soldier's  life. 

We  came  to  a  final  halt  about  i  A.M.  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  James  River. 

At  daylight  we  were  on  the  way  again  and  marched 

Friday,         to    the  river,    halting  at   City  Point,    five    miles,  where 

July  15.         \ve  waited  for  the  steamer.     Off  went  our  clothes  and 

into  the  river  we  plunged  for  a  frolic  and  a  swim,  and 

great  was  the  fun  we  had. 

At  4  P.M.  we  boarded  the  steamer  "  City  of  Bath,"  and  were 
soon  on  our  way.  It  was  a  glorious  sail  until  sunset,  when  we 
anchored  near  Jamestown. 

Three  years  to-day  since  we  were  mustered  into  the 
Saturday,  United  States  service.  We  continued  our  sail  down 
July  1 6.  t|ie  river>  around  Fortress  Monroe,  and  anchored  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Potomac  at  8  P.M.  Some  of  the 
boys  paid  tribute  to  old  Neptune,  and  were  so  unhappy  that  they 
would  have  reenlisted  for  twenty  years  to  have  escaped  their  present 
misery. 

After  a  beautiful  sail  up  the   Potomac  we  landed  at 
Sunday,        Seventh-street  wharf,  and  marched    down  Pennsylvania 
July  17.         avenue  to  the  "  Soldier's   Rest,"  where  we  were  quar 
tered  for  the  night. 

One  of  the  boys,  who  was  wounded  a  few  days  since,  and  whom 
we  were  bringing  home,  died  on  the  way  up  the  river. 

Left  Washington  at   8  P.M.  for  Baltimore,  where  we 
Monday,       arrived  at  2  A.M.,  and  proceeded  to  another  "  Soldier's 
July  18.         Rest,"  where  we  received  refreshments,  and  then  went 
to  sleep  on  the  sidewalk. 

Left  Baltimore  at  10  P.M.  and  proceeded  as  far  as 
Tuesday,  Philadelphia,  being  on  the  road  all  night.  This  was  not 
July  19.  a  "  fast  train." 


382  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864  Arrived  in  Philadelphia  at  6  A.M.  and  marched  to  the 

Wednesday, «  Cooper-shop  "  where  we  had  breakfast.  What  changes 
had  taken  place  with  us  since  our  last  entertainment  at 
this  place  !  yet  the  same  kindly  hospitality  existed  as  at 
our  previous  visit.  We  were  treated  with  great  kindness  by  the 
people  of  Philadelphia,  who  nocked  to  see  us  and  who  showed  us  as 
much  attention  as  though  we  belonged  there.  Our  story  is  nearly 
ended,  and  we  have  written  so  much  that  we  have  left  ourselves  too 
little  space  in  which  to  express  what  we  all  felt  toward  the  people  of 
that  great  city ;  but  we  shall  always  remember  the  interest  they  took 
in  us,  and  their  kindly  greetings.  At  8  A.M.  we  bade  them  all  good- 
by  and  took  the  train  for  New  York,  which  city  we  reached  at  3 
o'clock,  marching  up  Broadway  to  the  Park  barracks,  where  refresh 
ments  were  supplied  to  those  who  wished  them.  The  officers  were 
handsomely  entertained  at  dinner  by  the  proprietors  of  the  Astor 
House,  while  many  of  the  boys  found  old  and  new  friends  in  readi 
ness  to  take  them  where  hospitalities  awaited.  So  much  kindness 
and  friendly  interest  was  shown  by  everybody  that  we  began  to  think 
possibly  we  might  be  heroes,  though  our  appearance  suggested 
tramps.  How  they  laughed  at  us  when  we  apologized  for  our  ragged 
and  dirty  uniforms  !  We  had  a  "  bully  "  time  until  8  o'clock,  when 
we  took  the  train  for  home,  via  the  Boston  &  Albany  Railroad. 

[From  the  "  New  York  World,"  July  21,  1864.] 

The  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  Volunteers  arrived  in  the  city  yesterday  from  the 
front  with  ranks  shattered  and  decimated,  and  covered  with  the  smoke  and  dust 
of  the  battles  they  have  passed  through.  It  has  participated  in  the  battles  under 
General  McClellan's  command  and  those  of  his  successor,  General  Grant.  The 
Thirteenth  has  recruited,  since  its  departure,  to  fourteen  hundred  and  forty  men, 
and  now  return  with  but  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  men  and  seventeen  officers. 
The  regiment,  or  what  there  is  left  of  it,  looks  well  and  hearty.  They  left  last 
evening  for  Springfield. 

Upon  reaching  Worcester  at  6  A.M.  we  found  dele- 
Thursday,     gations  from  the  various  towns,  besides  a  large  crowd  of 
July  21.         friends  in  Worcester,  who  greeted  us  with  enthusiastic 
cordiality,  after  which  we  proceeded  to  Boston,  where  we 
were  met  by  a  committee  of  our  old  comrades  who  had  made  great 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS. 

1864.  preparations  to  give  us  a  royal  welcome.     As  the  band 

struck  up  our  old  Fort  Independence  song,  "  Corporal  of 
the  guard,  post  eight,"  it  touched  a  tender  chord  in  our  memory, 
bringing  back  to  our  recollection  the  day  when  we  marched  away  with 
one  thousand  and  thirty-eight  men.  We  marched  to  Boylston  Hall, 
on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Boylston  streets,  where  facilities  had 
been  provided  for  a  good  wash  and  a  good  drink.  While  we  were 
busy  with  our  toilet  or  shaking  hands  with  old  comrades  and  friends, 
who  should  walk  into  the  hall  but  General  Hartsuff,  our  old  brigadier- 
general.  Joining  hands  we  formed  a  ring  with  the  general  in  the 
centre.  If  he  had  any  doubts  of  our  fondness  for  him,  they  must  have 
been  removed  at  that  moment,  for  such  enthusiasm  is  rarely  seen.  We 
had  not  met  him  since  he  led  us  through  the  corn-field  at  Antietam, 
where  he  was  wounded  and  where  we  separated.  Cheer  upon 
cheer  was  sent  up  in  greeting  to  him,  until  we  were  hoarse  with 
the  effort.  This  was  an  unexpected  pleasure  to  all.  It  seems  that 
he  happened  in  town  that  morning,  and  accidently  hearing  of  our 
arrival,  he  came  up  to  see  us.  He  could  hardly  appreciate  the  grat 
ification  his  presence  afforded  us,  for  no  opportunity  had  been  pre 
viously  given  us  of  testifying  the  admiration  we  felt  for  him  as  a 
soldier  and  a  commander.  After  shaking  hands  with  us  all,  and  three 
more  cheers  for  him,  we  marched  to  the  United  States  Hotel,  where 
we  breakfasted,  and  the  rest  of  our  story  is  contained  in  the  following 
account : 

[From  the  "  Boston  Journal,"  July  21,  18154.] 
THE   THIRTEENTH    REGIMENT   COMIXC    HOME. 

The  veteran  heroes  of  the  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  or  rather  what 
remains  of  that  gallant  corps,  after  an  active  campaign  of  three  years  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  left  New  York  on  their  way  homeward  at  8  o'clock  last  evening. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  nucleus  of  the  Thirteenth  was  the  Fourth  Battalion  of 
Rifles,  and  that  it  was  composed  chiefly  of  young  men  of  this  city  and  of  the  im 
mediate  vicinity. 

The  reception  which  the  regiment  will  receive  to-day  will  undoubtedly  be  one 
worthy  of  its  distinguished  services.  In  addition  to  the  honors  paid  it  by  the  city 
and  State  authorities,  the  Boston  City  Guards,  Roxbury  State  Guard,  Fourth  Bat 
talion  of  Rifles,  and  past  members  of  the  regiment,  will  unite  in  demonstrations  of 
welcome,  and  the  occasion  will  be  an  unusually  interesting  one. 


384  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  [From  the  "  Evening  Transcript."] 

ARRIVAL   OF   THE   THIRTEENTH    MASSACHUSETTS   VOLUNTEERS. 

These  war-worn  veterans,  owing  to  unavoidable  delay,  did  not  arrive  until  about 
9  o'clock,  when  they  were  escorted  to  Boylston  Hall,  where  their  equipments  were 
deposited.  They  then,  under  the  escort  of  past  members  of  the  regiment  and  the 
old  City  Guard,  commanded  by  Gen.  John  S.  Tyler,  proceeded  to  the  United 
States  Hotel,  where  their  inner  man  was  comforted  by  a  toot  breakfast,  prepared 
in  Mr.  F.  M.  Pratt's  well-known  style. 

The  men  looked  hearty  and  happy.  The  regiment  numbers  eighteen  officers 
and  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  men.  The  losses  in  action  have  been  heavy,  and  a 
large  number  have  been  commissioned  in  other  regiments,  and  detailed  for  duties 
in  the  departments  at  Washington. 

The  following  is  the  roster  of  the  regiment : 

Colonel,  Samuel  H.  Leonard;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Charles  H.  Hovey;  Major, 
E.  C.  Pierce;  Adjutant,  David  H.  Bradlee;  Quartermaster,  George  E.  Craig;  Sur 
geon,  Allston  W.  Whitney;  Assistant-Surgeon,  Loyd  W.  Hixon. 

Captains:  O.  F.  Morse,  O.  C.  Livermore,  W.  H.  Gary,  J.  A.  Howe,  William 
B.  Kimball,  Morton  Tower,  David  Whiston,  H.  N.  Washburn,  T.  R.  Wells,  and 
W.  S.  Damrell. 

Lieutenants:  M.  S.  Smith,  Edward  F.  Rollins,  R.  M.  Armstrong,  W.  R. 
Warner,  E.  W.  Cody,  and  F.  Stowe. 

(All  these  officers,  however,  were  not  present  to-day.) 

After  breakfasting,  the  Thirteenth  returned  to  Boylston  Hall,  where  they  were 
received  by  the  escort,  composed  of  the  Independent  Cadets,  Major  Jeffries  (who 
were  under  orders  to  parade  in  the  afternoon,  but  turned  out  this  morning  with 
but  an  hour's  notice),  accompanied  by  the  band  of  the  First  United  States  Artil 
lery,  Captain  Little's  Heavy  Artillery  Company  from  Fort  Warren,  the  Roxbury 
Reserve  Guard,  Capt.  Edward  Wyman,  and  the  past  members  of  the  Thirteenth 
and  old  City  Guard,  under  the  lead  of  Gen.  John  S.  Tyler,  assisted  by  Major 
J.  C.  Park  and  Col.  N.  A.  Thompson,  preceded  by  the  Germania  Band. 

The  route  of  the  procession  was  through  Kneeland  street,  Harrison  avenue, 
Chauncy,  Summer,  Winter,  Tremont,  Boylston  (where  a  rest  was  taken  for  re 
freshments),  Arlington,  Beacon,  Tremont,  Court,  and  State  streets,  to  Faneuil 
Hall.  The  scene  along  the  entire  route  was  one  of  great  enthusiasm,  giving  proof 
of  appreciation  by  the  citizens  of  the  arduous  services  of  this  Boston  regiment. 

The  hall  was  elegantly  decorated.  The  galleries  were  occupied  at  an  early 
hour  by  the  fair  friends  of  the  soldiers,  and  presented  a  view  of  compact 
animation. 

A  blessing  was  invoked  by  Rev.  N.  M.  Gajlorcl,  former  chaplain  of  the  regi 
ment,  at  the  close  of  which  Mayor  Lincoln  invited  the  veterans  and  escort  to  par 
take  of  the  rations  before  them,  which  they  were  ordered  to  do  by  Colonel 
Fellows,  without  regard  to  military  precedent,  as  they  were  minus  their  haver 
sacks. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  385 

1864.  After  which  the  regiment  was  granted  a  furlough  until  August 

ist,  when  it  was  to  assemble  for  muster-out. 

[From  the  "  Boston  Herald,"  July  22,  1864.] 
ARRIVAL    OF   THE  THIRTEENTH    REGIMENT. 

The  Thirteenth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  comprising  two  hundred  and  fifty-six 
men  and  seventeen  officers,  reached  Boston  over  the  Worcester  Railroad  at  9 
o'clock  this  forenoon.  A  committee  composed  of  past  members  of  the  Thirteenth 
and  many  members  of  the  Old  City  Guard,  of  which  Capt.  James  A.  Fox  was 
chairman,  was  present  to  meet  the  regiment.  There  were  also  present  the  usual 
crowd  of  personal  acquaintances  and  relatives  of  the  men  comprising  the  regi 
ment,  who  gathered  around  the  train  eager  to  embrace  their  long  absent  but 
now  returned  friends. 

Line  was  immediately  formed,  and  the  regiment,  headed  by  the  Germania 
Band  and  a  force  of  police,  proceeded  directly  to  Boylston  Hall,  where  they  dis 
encumbered  themselves  of  their  equipments,  and  marched  back  to  the  United 
States  Hotel,  where  they  partook  of  a  bountiful  breakfast.  Thence  they  returned 
to  Boylston  Hall,  and  from  there  they  will  be  escorted  and  received  by  the  au 
thorities  later  in  the  day. 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  left  the  front  a  week  ago  to-day,  and  came  North  by 
the  land  route,  being  the  first  to  pass  over  the  railroad  between  Washington  and 
Baltimore,  after  its  destruction  by  the  recent  rebel  raiders,  and  accomplished  the 
journey  without  accident. 

During  the  present  campaign  the  regiment  has  lost  about  eighty  men,  of  which 
number  the  proportion  of  killed  is  comparatively  small,  being  about  fifteen  — 
twelve  privates  and  two  or  three  officers.  The  men  who  had  reenlisted  were 
left  behind,  having  been  transferred  to  the  Thirty- ninth  Regiment;  and  one 
hundred  and  thirty-six  men  besides  were  left  in  the  hospital,  though  not  in  those 
immediately  connected  with  the  army.  Some  half  a  dozen,  not  too  feeble  to  be 
transported,  also  returned  home.  The  men  as  a  general  thing  look  rugged, 
bronzed,  and  hearty,  and  manifest  no  little  delight  at  being  once  more  among 
their  friends. 

Between  n  and  12  o'clock  the  escort  arrived  at  Boylston  Hall,  and  was  formed 
in  Washington  street.  It  comprised  the  following-named  bodies  : 

Independent  Corps  of  Cadets,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Holmes;  Capt.  T.  J.  Little's 
company  of  heavy  artillery,  from  Fort  Warren;  75  men,  with  the  band  of  the 
First  United  States  Artillery,  from  Fort  Independence;  the  Roxbury  State  Guard, 
35  men,  Capt.  Edward  Wyman,  with  drum  corps;  members  of  the  Old  City 
Guard  and  past  members  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment,  with  badges,  and  number 
ing  about  150  men,  with  the  Germania  Band. 

The  escort  was  under  the  chief  marshalship  of  General  Tyler,  assisted  by  Col. 
N.  A.  Thompson,  John  C.  Park,  Esq.,  and  others  as  aids. 


386  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  The  procession  having  been  formed,  it  moved  through  Kneeland 

street,  Harrison  avenue,  Chauncy,  Summer,  Winter,  Tremont, 
Boylston,  Arlington,  and  Beacon  streets,  to  the  State  House;  thence  through 
Beacon,  Tremont,  Court,  State,  Commercial,  and  Market  streets,  to  Faneuil  Hall, 
reaching  the  latter  place  at  I  o'clock. 

The  demonstrations  on  the  route  were  quite  numerous  and  enthusiastic,  and  the 
veterans  heartily  cheered.  On  Harrison  avenue  there  was  considerable  bunting 
displayed,  and  the  same  was  the  case  on  Arlington  and  Beacon  streets,  where 
innumerable  flags  were  thrown  out. 

At  the  residence  of  Colonel  Thompson,  on  Boylston  street,  the  regiment  made 
a  halt,  and  \vere  furnished  with  copious  libations  of  ice-water,  lemonade,  etc., 
and  as  they  passed  up  Beacon  street,  by  the  Common,  they  were  honored  with  a 
national  salute  fired  by  a  section  of  the  Boston  Light  Artillery,  under  Captain 
Cummings. 

Faneuil  Hall  was  decorated  as  heretofore  on  similar  occasions,  and  the  front 
gallery  supported  the  words,  "  WELCOME,  THIRTEENTH  REGIMENT." 

One-half  of  the  galleries  was  densely  filled  with  ladies,  who  threw  numerous 
bouquets  and  kisses  and  waved  their  delicate  kerchiefs  at  the  noble  veterans  as 
they  filed  into  the  hall  and  took  their  places  around  the  tables.  The  other  gallery 
was  filled  with  the  members  of  the  escort. 

On  the  platform  were  His  Honor  Mayor  Lincoln,  and  members  of  the  reception 
committee  of  the  City  Government,  the  marshals,  and  the  officers  of  the  regiment. 

After  all  had  been  seated,  prayer  .was  offered  by  Rev.  Chaplain  Gaylord, 
formerly  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment.  Subsequently  the  assembly,  at  the  invitation 
of  the  Mayor,  partook  of  the  collation  provided  for  them. 

Subsequently  the  Mayor  claimed  the  attention  of  the  men  and  addressed  them, 
extending  a  cordial  welcome,  and  saying  that  our  crowded  streets,  and  the 
enthusiasm  noticeable  everywhere,  was  sufficient  indication  of  how  the  people  felt 
upon  their  arrival  home.  He  said  it  was  not  for  him  to  go  into  a  history  of  all 
that  they  had  done.  For  three  years  they  had  been  defending  the  flag  and  all  it 
represented.  The  members  of  the  old  State  Militia  who  had  turned  out  to-day, 
as  well  as  the  demonstrations  of  the  rest  of  the  citizens  of  Boston,  seemed  to  him 
to  indicate  that  they  were  proud  of  the  renown  which  the  Thirteenth  had 
achieved. 

Adjutant-General  Schouler  next  spoke  in  behalf  of  the  State,  saying  for  the 
Governor  that  he  was  proud  of  the  old  Thirteenth  Regiment  for  the  history  it  had 
conferred  upon  the  Commonwealth.  In  behalf  of  the  State,  whose  citizens  they 
were,  in  behalf  of  the  great  honor  they  had  won  for  Massachusetts,  he  welcomed 
them  back  to  their  homes  and  their  firesides. 

Colonel  Leonard  responded,  in  behalf  of  the  regiment,  expressing  his  heartfelt 
thanks  for  the  reception  which  had  been  extended  them,  and  which  he  considered 
evidence  that  their  services  had  been  appreciated,  and  that  the  people  thought 
they  had  done  their  duty. 

The  speaker  then  referred  to  the  organization  of  the  regiment  and  continued 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  887 

1864.  giving  a  very  minute  and  detailed  account  of  its  adventures  since 

leaving  the  State,  and  claiming  for  it  its  full  share  of  glory.     He 

closed  with  a  renewed  expression  of  thanks  for  the  hospitalities  extended  to-day. 

General  Hartsufi,  who  once  commanded  a  brigade  of  which  the  Thirteenth 
formed  a  part,  was  now  called  up,  and  made  a  very  brief  but  eloquent  speech, 
saying  that  when  he  took  command  of  the  brigade  alluded  to,  he  knew  not  a  man 
in  it,  they  were  all  entire  strangers  to  him.  When  he  left  it,  he  said  it  numbered 
three  thousand  men,  and  he  trusted  that  in  it  he  had  three  thousand  friends. 
(Cheers.)  The  Thirteenth,  he  said,  was  one  of  the  best  regiments  in  his  com 
mand,  and  he  had  found  no  better  among  the  sixty  which  had  since  been  under 
him.  He  thanked  them  very  kindly  for  the  greeting  they  had  given  him,  and 
was  glad  to  see  the  evidences  of  satisfaction  with  which  their  friends  had  regarded 
their  course,  for  he  thought  it  was  deserved  and  sincere. 

Rev.  Chaplain  Gaylord,  who  was  formerly  connected  with  the  regiment,  was 
next  introduced  and  was  warmly  received.  After  some  preliminary  remarks,  he 
said  he  had  never  been  so  happy  in  all  his  life  as  to-day.  He  had  crowded  into  a 
few  brief  hours  happiness  enough  for  a  lifetime,  in  witnessing  the  reception  the 
city  of  Boston  had  given  them.  He  said  that  he  was  in  a  position  to  tell  all  he 
knew  about  the  Thirteenth,  and  he  would  do  it  in  presence  of  that  vast  assembly 
and  in  the  hearing  of  the  reporters.  There  were  those  present  whose  hearts  were 
swelling  with  the  memories  of  three  years,  back  to  the  time  when  they  marched 
through  our  streets  one  thousand  and  twenty  strong.  Not  a  day  had  passed  but 
their  thoughts  and  prayers  had  gone  forth  for  these  noble  and  brave  boys.  The 
prayer  of  mother  and  wife,  father  and  sister,  was  that  God  would  bring  them  back 
as  good  men  as  they  had  gone  forth. 

Those  prayers  had  been  heard,  and  many  of  them  had  returned  not  only  as 
good  but  better  men.  "  Oh,  I  know  them  well,"  said  the  speaker,  "  they  are  a  gay 
and  festive  crowd."  (Laughter.)  He  had  slept  with  them  under  the  same  fence 
corner  and  under  the  same  blanket,  and  oftentimes  had  shared  their  hardtack; 
they  were  fond  of  fun,  ready  to  joke,  a  brave,  generous,  noble-hearted  body  of 
New  England  young  men.  (Cheers.)  They  were  celebrated  wherever  they 
went  for  their  mirth  and  jollity.  But  this  was  not  all :  they  were,  when  occasion 
demanded,  sober  and  thoughtful;  and  they  were  intelligent. 

lie  envied  the  man  who  had  been  through  all  their  trials.  He  was  proud  of 
the  reception  they  had  this  day  received.  To  use  the  language  of  the  old  hymn, 
it  was  "  the  day  for  which  all  others  were  made."  The  speaker  also  gave  them 
some  advice,  saying  that  they  would  go  back  into  society  and  would  meet  more 
temptations  than  in  camp.  He  conjured  them  to  preserve  their  moral  integrity, 
and  cause  no  one  to  blush  for  any  act  of  theirs.  "  Go  back,"  said  he,  "  and  be 
come,  each  of  you,  a  healthy,  moral  influence  in  society. 

"  Frown  down  anything  that  looks  like  treason.  Whenever  you  meet  a  sleepy, 
squalling  half-patriot,  shake  him  up,  and  make  him  to  see  things  as  they  are.  Tell 
them  that  your  brave  general  has  his  grasp  upon  the  throat  of  that  rebel  scoundrel, 
Lee,  and  that  he  will  throttle  him  before  many  months.  (Cheers.)  That  the 


388  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

1864.  army  is  hopeful,  that  there  is  no  going  back,  and  no  rest,  until  the 

rebellion  is  completely  crushed  and  subdued."    (Cheers.)    He  closed 
by  expressing  his  thanks  for  the  kindness  which  they  had  always  shown  him. 

John  C.  Parke,  Esq.,  spoke  in  behalf  of  the  City  Guard,  and  the  men  were  then 
furloughed  and  dismissed. 

On  the  first  day  of  August  we  assembled  on  Boston  Common  and 
were  mustered  out  of  the  United  States  service  in  due  form.  Among 
the  persons  present  at  the  ceremony  was  our  old  division  commander, 
General  Robinson,  who  lost  a  leg  at  Spottsylvania,  whom  we  had  not 
seen  since  that  day  so  unfortunate  to  him.  His  presence,  there 
fore,  afforded  us  an  unqualified  pleasure,  which  was  demonstrated  with 
an  enthusiasm  we  honestly  felt  for  him  as  a  brave  and  gallant  officer. 


THIRTEENTH 


VOLS. 


389 


LIST  OF   MEN   KILLED   IN    BATTLE. 


'"THE  following  list  contains  the  names  of  men  who  were  killed  or 
who  died  of  wounds  received  in  battle,  arranged   according 
to  battles  : 


Pritc hard's  Mills,  Sept.  /,-,  1861. 
John  L.  Spencer. 

Thoroughfare  Cap^  Aug.  28,  1862. 

Daniel  R.  Jackson. 
Geo.  Clarke. 

Afanassas,  Aug.  30,  1862. 

Paul  E.  Fiedler. 
Albert  S.  Estes. 
Henry  A.  Holden. 
Wm.  R.  Porter. 
Loring  Bigelow. 
Charles  B.  Mills. 
Albert  O.  Curtis. 
Jacob  H.  Littlefield. 
Henry  S.  Sanborn. 
Frederick  A.  Williams. 
Chas.  T.  Linfield. 
Warren  A.  Blanchard. 
Elias  H.  Bennett. 
Frederick  A.  Dickenson. 
John  E.  Keith. 
John  Mitchell. 
Chas.  E.  Page. 


Wm.  D.  Dorsey. 
John  E.  Bowling. 
Albert  Hazeltine. 
John  F.  McNally. 
Edwin  F.  Morris. 
Chauncy  L.  Peck. 
Ira  Bowman. 
Edwin  N.  Welch. 
Hollis  L.  Johnson. 
Washington  I.  Lothrop. 
Wm.  H.  Baker. 
Charles  H.  Coggins. 
Geo.  R.  Markham. 
Alfred  G.  Howe. 
Franklin  J.  Wood. 
Edward  E.  Bond. 
Isaac  B.  Crowell. 
Peter  Flynn. 
Wm.  H.  P.  Christopher. 
Thomas  Copeland. 
Hollis  H.  Fairbanks. 

Antietam,   Sept.   //,  1862. 

Wm.  F.  Barry. 
Thomas  P.  Bowker,  Jr. 


390 


THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


Samuel  S.  Gould. 
Chas.  R.  Nelson. 
John  P.  Shelton. 
Geo.  F.  Wakefield. 
Isaac  H.  Stimpson. 
Chas.  A.  Clement. 
Joshua  T.  Lawrence. 
David  S.  Thurber. 
James  T.  K.  Kendall. 
Edward  S.  Danforth. 
Thomas  J.  Oddy. 
Chas.  E.  Perkins. 
Geo.  O.  Berry. 
John  E.  LaClair. 
Chas.  A.  Whittier. 
Daniel  E.  Reed. 
Luther  F.  Favour. 
Geo.  W.  Gale. 
Adna  P.  Hall. 
James  N.  Smith. 
Thomas  R.  Gassett. 
Hollis  Holden. 
Chas.  A.  Trask. 
Chas.  H.  Wellington. 

Fredericksburff,  Dec.  /j,  1862. 

Geo.  E.  Bigelow. 
Chas.  Armstrong. 
Chas.  J.  Taylor. 
Edmond  H.  Kendall. 

Fitzhugh   Crossing,  April  jo,  i8bj 
George  Bush. 
William  Cordwell. 


Chancellor  sville,  May  4, 
Samuel  S.  Carlton. 


Gettysburg,  July  1-4,  1863. 

John  F.  Welden. 
Edwin  Field. 
Chas.  E.  Leland. 
Roland  B.  Morris. 
John  S.  Fiske. 
James  H.  Stetson. 
Geo.  S.  Wise. 
Edgar  A.  Fiske. 
Edward  Church. 
Geo.  A.  Atkinson. 
Herschel  A.  Sanborn. 
John  M.  Brock. 
Prince  A.  Dunton. 
Wm.  H.  Gage. 
Sylvester  A.  Hayes. 
John  M.  Russell. 
Chas.  W.  Andrews. 
Chas.  Stone. 
Willard  Wheeler. 
Horatio  A.  Cutting. 
John  Flye. 
Frank  A.  Gould. 
Michael  O'Laughlin. 
Geo.  E.  Sprague. 

Wilderness,    May  j,  1864. 
Jos.  H.  Stuart. 
Edward  A.  Vorra. 
Gilbert  H.  Greenwood. 
Theodore  H.  Goodnough. 


TIHETEEXTH    MASS.     VOLS. 


391 


Spottsylvanid)  May  S,  1864. 

Selah  B.  Alden. 
William  Sanders. 
John  Schnell. 
Chas.  A.  Williams. 
Rolla  Nicholas. 
Thomas  E.  Bancroft 
Charles  E.  Colburn. 
Chas.  W.  Whitcomb. 
Charles  W.  Mosher. 
John  P.  Peebles. 
Wm.  P.  Farqueson. 
Chas.  F.  Rice. 


Bfthestia  Church,  June  2,  1864. 
Walter  Humphreys. 

Cold  Harbor,   June  j,   1864. 

Daniel  A.  Levering. 
Myrick  T.  Wentworth. 

Petersburg,   July,  1864. 

Edmund  P.  Hayes. 
Thomas  Casey. 
William  F.  Brigham. 
Joseph  W.  Mann. 
Anton  Otto. 


RECAPITULATION. 


Pritchard's  Mills,  Sept.  i,  1861     . 
Thoroughfare  Gap,  Aug.  28,  1862 
Manassas,  Aug.  30,  1862     . 
Antietam,  Sept.  17,  1862     . 
Fredericksburg,  Dec.  13,  1862    . 
Fitzhugh  Crossing,  April  30,  1863 
Chancellorsville,  May  4,  1863 
Gettysburg,  July  1-4,  1863 
Wilderness,  May  5,  1864     . 
Spottsylvania,  May  8,  1864 
Bethesda  Church,  June  2,  1864  . 
Cold  Harbor,  June  3,  1864 
Petersburg,  July,  1864 


2 

38 
26 

4 

2 

I 

24 

4 

12 
I 

2 

5 


122 


392  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


ROSTER. 


THE  following  roster  was  transcribed  from  the  books  of  the  regi 
ment,  and  each  name  carefully  compared  with  the  list  on  file 
at  the  Adjutant-General's  office.  As  the  company  books  were  away 
from  the  regiment  on  several  of  the  longer  campaigns,  it  was  difficult 
to  keep  an  accurate  account  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  men  who  were 
absent,  as  we  all  know.  If  any  injustice  has  been  done  any  man  by 
this  publication,  it  is  due  to  his  own  neglect  in  not  seeing  that  his 
service  was  correctly  recorded  at  the  State  House,  where  clerks  have 
been  employed  for  more  than  thirty  years  in  readiness  to  correct  any 
and  all  mistakes  that  may  have  occurred. 

For  the  information  of  those  whose  names  are  published  as  de 
serters,  I  have  to  say  that  they  are  so  entered  on  the  books  of  the 
regiment  and  the  files  at  the  State  House.  I  am  informed  by  the 
War  Department  that  the  State  has  been  notified  of  each  case 
where  the  charge  of  desertion  has  been  removed.  I  am  obliged, 
therefore,  to  take  the  record  as  I  find  it. 

C.  E.  DAVIS,  JR. 

Abbreviations  used  in  Roster.  —  V.R.C.,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps;  Col.,  Colored;  H.A., 
Heavy  Artillery. 

CHARLES  F.  ADAMS  J  age,  20;  born,  Dorchester,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  7,  '64;  wounded  at  Get 
tysburg,  July  i,  '63,  and  transferred  to  V.  R.  C.;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

HENRY  P.  ADAMS;  age,  23;  born,  New  Boston,  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  n,  '63. 

WlLLIAM  D.  ADAMS;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  corp., 
Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March,  '63;  promoted  to  sergt.,  Nov.  I, 
'62;  commissioned  as  1st  lieut.  in  the  79th  U.S.  colored  troops,  March,  '63; 
residence,  Orange,  N.J. 

GODLOVE  AECHTLER ;  age,  18;  born,  Germany;  burnisher;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  July  4,  '62. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  393 

DANIEL   C.    AlKEN;    age,    20;   born,   Deny,  N.H.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Nov.  21,  '62;   wounded,  Aug. 

30,  '62. 
EUGENE  A.   ALBEE;   age,  24;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 

corp.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   promoted  to  2d  lieut.,  4Oth  Mass.  Inf.,  Aug.  23, 

'62;   promoted  to  capt.,  4Oth  Mass.  Inf.,  June  25,  '63;   mustered  out,  April 

20,  '64;   died  Oct.,  '93. 
JOHN  ALCOCK  ;   age,  22;   born,  England;   seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  28,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  20,  '63. 
SELAH   B.   ALDEN;    age,  28;    born,  Lynn,    N.H.;    cordwainer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  22,  '61;   died  of  wounds  received,  May  25,  '64;    pro- 

moted  to  Corp.,  April  26,  '64. 
AUGUSTUS   ALLEN;    age,   25;   born,  Franklin,    Mass.;    machinist;    mustered  in 

as  corp.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Sept.  5,  '62;  residence,  Orange, 

Mass. 
CHARLES   H.   ALLEN;    age,  29;   born,  Kennebec,  Me.;    teacher;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  2,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  6,  '63;  wounded,  Sept.  17, 

'62. 
EDWARD   F.   ALLEN;    age,  28;   born,   Lancaster,  N.H.;   trader;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  Brook- 
line,  Mass. 
FRED  W.  ALLEN;   age,  21;   born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
JOHN   ALLEN  ;   age,  28;   born,  Canada;   farmer;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A, 

July  27,  '63;    died  Oct.  15,  '63. 
WILLIAM   A.   ALLEY  ;   age,   19;    born,  Danvers,  Mass.;   shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Oct.  12,  '63;   sergt.,  Nov. 

I,  '62;    sergt. -major,  April  i,   '63;    2cl  lieut.,  June  30,  '63;    wounded    at 

Gettysburg,  July  I,   '63;   residence,  Brockton,  Mass. 
WlLLIAM   B.   ALLVN;   age,    20;     born,    Belfast,    Me.;   clerk;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61 ;  deserted,   April  26,  '62. 
WALTER  T.   AMOS;   age,    18;   born,  New  York  City;    druggist;   mustered   in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  24,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Dec.  23,  '62. 
JOHN  ARNOTT  ;  age,  22;  born,  Bathgate,  Scotland;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,        7\ 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   died  Oct.  18,  '62;   wounded  and  taken  prisoner. 
ARCHIBALD   ANDERSON;    age,  25;   born,  Scotland;   seaman;    mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  27,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 
GEORGE  R.  ANDERSON  ;   age,   18;   born,  Boston;    clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  24,  '61;  deserted,  Sept.  13,  '62. 
WlLLIAM   J.   ANDERSON;    age,  20;   born,  Boston;   clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  Aug.  22,  '62;   deserted,  Sept.  13,  '62. 

CHARLES  W.   ANDREWS;    age,  19;  born,   Claremont,  N.H.;   carpenter;  mus 
tered   in  as  priv.vCo.    I,  July  28,  '62;   killed,  July  i,  '63. 
THOMAS   L.    APPLETON;    age,  19;   born,  Boston;    clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.    C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  capt.,  Aug.   21,  '65;  commissioned 

in  54th  Mass.  Vols.,  Feb.  19,  '63;   residence,  Chelsea. 
EDWARD   ARCHIBALD;    age,  23;  born,   Boston;   clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Montreal,  P.Q. 


394  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


CHARLES  ARMSTRONG;  age,  22;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  Aug.  6,  '62;  killed,  Dec.  13,  '62. 

GEO.  D.  ARMSTRONG;  age,  20;  born,  St.  Stephens,  N.B.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  Corp.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  17,  '62;  wounded 
at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  Lewiston,  Me. 

ROBERT  M.  ARMSTRONG;  age,  21;  born,  Albany,  N.Y.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  Aug.  i,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  ist  lieut.,  April  16,  '64;  residence,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

SAMUEL  B.  ARNOLD;  age  23;  born,  Roxbury,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

GEORGE  M.  ASH;  age,  21;  born,  Bangor,  Me.;  auctioneer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  29,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  30,  '62. 

EDWIN  H.  ATKINS;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  I,  July  22,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Gardner,  Me. 

GEORGE  A.  ATKINSON;  age,  25;  born,  Amherst,  N.S.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  July  I,  '63. 

ALGERNON  S.  AULD;  age,  21;  born,  Boothbay,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  236  Prince 
ton  street,  East  Boston. 

ORLOW  AUSTIN;  age,  20;  born,  Salem,  N.H.;  bleacher;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded  at  Petersburg, 
June  19,  '64;  detailed  for  duty  as  guard  at  General  Newton's  head 
quarters. 

J.  H.  AVER;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
G,  July,  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  I,  '62. 

MICHAEL  G.  AYERS  ;  age,  20;  born,  Boston;  painter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  31,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Philadephia. 

ALONZO  P.  BACON;  age,  21;  born,  Winchester,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  9,  '63,  for  promotion; 
detailed  as  clerk  at  headquarters,  June,  '62;  appointed  capt.,  Ulman's  brigade 
Colored  Troops,  March  9,  '63;  resigned,  July,  '63;  residence,  San  Fran 
cisco,  Cal. 

HENRY  BACON;  age,  21;  born,  Haverhill,  Mass.;  artist;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  19,  '62,  on  account  of 
wounds  received  at  second  Bull  Run;  was  special  artist  with  French  Army 
in  the  Franco-Prussian  war;  residence,  Paris,  France. 

J.AMES  BACON;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E, 
July  27,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  15,  '62;  address,  B.  &  A.  R.R.,  Boston. 

JoSIAH  S.  BACON;  age,  26;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  sergt.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out  as  ist  sergeant,  Jan.  8,  '63; 
wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Manassas;  residence,  Natick,  Mass. 

WlLLIAM  B.  BACON;  age,  19;  mustered  in  as  ist  lieut.,  July  16,  '61;  re 
signed,  July  25,  '62,  to  accept  appointment  as  capt.  in  34th  Mass.  Vols. 

CHARLES  BADGER;  age,  27;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  March  24,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  17,  '63. 

WlLLIAM  A.  BAIL;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
B,  Aug.  8,  '62;  died,  Jan.  n,  '63. 

GEORGE  H.  BAILEY;  age,  19;  born,  Sterling,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  F.,  July,  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  April  22,  '63. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  805 

ALPHONSO    BAKER;     age,    23;    born,    Portsmouth,    N.H.;    bookbinder;    mus-     £> 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   D,   July    16,    '61 ;    mustered  out,   Aug.    i,   '64;    resi-    f~,^_ 

dence,  Boston.  c*^rv£ 

FRANK   O.    BAKER;  age,   20;  born,   Lancaster,   N.H.;  clerk;   mustered  in  as 

sergt.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Dec.  22,  '62. 
JOHN   BAKER;   age,   21;   born,   Germany;  baker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E, 

July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  23,  '63. 
WILLIAM   BAKER;   age,    34;    born,   Marlboro',    Mass.;   shoemaker;   mustered   J*.   ~ 

in  as  Corp.,  Co.   I,  July   16,   '61;    mustered    out,    Aug.    I,    '64;    wounded*-//  rf/{aA, 

Aug.  30,  '62;   residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
WILLIAM    H.   BAKER;    age,   20;  born,  Weymouth,  Mass.;   student;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Col   II,  Aug.  5,  '62;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
HENRY   C.    BALCH  ;    age,    18;    born,    Frescott,    Me.;     clerk;     mustered  in  as 

corp.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  23,  '63. 

CHARLES    BALDWIN;  age,  44;    born,  Westmoreland,  N. II.;    stonecutter;   mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,   Co.   K,  July  16,   '61 ;    mustered  out,  May  21,   '62;    ap- 

pointed  fifer,  Co.  K,  Feb.,  '62;  died,  Feb.  n,  '79. 
PETER  BAMIJOUR;    age,    18;   born,  Boston;    moulder;    mustered  in   as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  July  4,  '62. 

MARCUS    M.    BANCROFT;    age,   19;    born,  Wilmington,  Mass.;    farmer;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
THOMAS   E.    BANCROFT;    age,  22;   born,  Reading,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered          -j-~ 

in  as  priv.,  Co.   G,   Aug.  12,  '62;    missing   after  May  8,  '64;    supposed   to     "**••  '-  •* 

have  been  killed. 
CYRUS   E.   BARKER;   age,  23;   born,  Acton,  Mass.;   powder-maker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Jan.  30,  '63. 
THOMAS   BARKLEY;    age,  21;   born,  New  Brunswick;   plumber;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  24,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
EDWARD  BARNARD;   age,   23;     born,    Boston;    shoemaker;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l ;   mustered  out,  Feb.  6,  '63. 
WlLLIAM    BARNES;    age,  38;    born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;    hotel-keeper;    mustered 

in  as  sergt.,  Co.   I,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out  as  orderly  sergt.,  April  23, 

'63;   wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Manassas;    promoted   to   1st  sergt.,  Oct.  6, 

'61;   residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
WlLLIAM    B.    BARNES;    age,    24;    born,    Marlboro',   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   F,  July    16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.   i,  '64;   resi- 

dence,  Marlboro',   Mass. 
WlLLIAM   D.    BARRON  ;    age,  22;  born,  Wrentham,  Mass.;  bleacher;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61 ;   mustered  out,  Nov.  25,  '62. 
THOMAS   BARRY;   age,  19;  born,  Nova  Scotia;   painter;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  24,  '61;   mustered  out,  June  26,  '62. 
WlLLIAM   F.   BARRY;   age,  18;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,      7-^ 

Co.  A,  Aug.  4,  '62;   killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
SIDNEY   BARSTOW;    age,    19;    born,  Hanover,  Mass. ;    clerk;    mustered   in    as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  March  27,  '63;    residence,   Lynn, 

Mass. 

DARWIN    F.    BARTLETT;    age,  27;   born,  Boston;    whitener  and  colorer;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence, 

Boston,  Mass. 


396  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

ALEXANDER  BASSETT;  age,  18;  born,  Bassilboro',  Me.;  wood-turner;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61 ;  deserted,  July  25,  '62. 

.3      DANIEL   K.    BATCHELDER;    age,  46;    born,  Landgrove,  Vt.;    gilder;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,   July  16,    '61;    mustered  out,   Jan.  20,  '63;    detached  on 
7-^  recruiting  service  in  Boston;   died,  May  26,  '91,  at  Reading,  Mass. 

N.    WALTER   BATCHELDER;    mustered  in  as  lieut.-col.,  July  16,  '61;    resigned 

as  lieut.-col.,  April  15,  '64;   deceased. 

&9  £  GEORGE  E.  BATES;  age,  19;  born,  Weymouth,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  18,  '62;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.;  reenlisted  in  I3th, 
Jan.  4,  '62. 

HENRY   BATES;    age,  21;    born,  Milford,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.   B,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,   Mil- 
-.  ford,  Mass. 

/^x  JOHN  ]' .  BATES;  age,  26;  born,  Weymouth,  Mass.;  shoecutter;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  taken  prisoner 
Dec.  13,  '62;  again  at  Gettysburg;  residence,  Weymouth,  Mass.  £"«  ^ 

HENRY   S.    BATTLES;    age,   24;   born,  Sudbury,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  Sept.  14,  '62. 

>—  f_^.  FRANCIS  J.  BAXTER  ;  age,  30;  born,  Boston;  finisher;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  16,'  61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  9,  '62;  died,  '92. 

SAVILLIAN  E.  BAZIN  ;  age,  24;  born,  Dover,  N.H.;  paper-hanger;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence, 
Boston. 

JOSIAH  H.  BEALES ;  age,  29;  born,  Liverpool,  Eng.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  7,  '62;  wounded  at 
Rappahannock  Station,  Aug.,  '62. 

JOHN  E.  BEAN;  age,  18;  born,  Freedom,  Me.;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  22,  '62. 

SAMUEL  A.  BEAN;  age,  27;  born,  Mt.  Vernon,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  corp.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  for  promotion,  July 
i,  '63-- 

\V.  A.  S.  BEAN,  JR.;  age,  24;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  confectioner;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  23,  '62. 

WALTER  P.  BEAUMONT;  age,  20;  born,  Dexter,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  April  24,  '63;  ap 
pointed  1st  lieut.,  8th  Unattached  Co.  H.  A.,  Aug.  n,  '63;  capt.,  Co.  G, 
3d  Regt.  H.  A.,  Jan.  17,  '65;  wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Manassas;  also 
wounded  at  Battle  of  Washington;  deceased. 

JAMES  BEGLEY ;  age,  25;  born,  England;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
D,  July  29,  '63;  mustered  out,  April  22,  '64;  transferred  to  the  navy. 

CLARENCE  H.  BELL;  age,  i&;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  28,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed  for  duty  at  divi 
sion  headquarters,  Jan.  28,  '63;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

LOUIS  BELOND  ;  age,  25;  born,  Belgium;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 

JAMES  H.  BELSER  ;  age,  29;  born,  Inverness,  Can.;  carpenter;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  for  promotion,  March  7,  '63; 
promoted  to  2d  lieut.  gth  Regt.  Colored  Troops,  March  7,  '63;  residence, 
Marlboro',  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH   MASS.     VOLS.  397 


JOHN   BELSER  ;    age    22;    born,    Bakerstield,   Vt.;    teamster;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  27,  '61;   mustered  out,    Oct.    10,   '62,  for  promotion  in 

another  regiment. 
JOHN    P.    BEMIS  ;    age  20;   born,  Lincoln,  Mass.;    clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  24,  '61;   deserted,  Sept.  24,  '61. 
CHARLES  S.    BENNETT]   age,  30;    born,  Stowe,  Mass.;   shoemaker;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  July  25,  '62. 
t/LIAS   H.    BENNETT  ;    age,  20;   born,  Brighton,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
JOHN  A.    BENNETT  ;   age,   21;    born,  N.    Rochester,   Mass.;   salesman;   mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  March  20,  '63. 
EBENEZER   BENSON  ;    age,  24;   born,    Ireland;    laborer;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  25,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
HERBERT    BENT;    age,  21;    born,  Suffolk,  Mass.  ;    clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  Boston. 
GEORGE  O.   BERRY;    age,  22;   born,  Tamworth,  N.H.;   currier;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
JOHN    f.    BERRY;    age,   21;    born,   Tamworth,    N.H.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,    July  16,  '61  ;   mustered   out,    Feb.  27,    '63;   residence, 

Stoneham,  Mass. 
NATHANIEL    F.    BERRY;   age,  28;  born,  Gosport,  N.H.;    carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  7,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,   '64;  wounded,  July 

I,  '63. 
SAMUEL  BERRY,   JR.;  age,  24;    born,  Bangor,  Me.;   shoemaker;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
T.HOMAS   BERRY;  age,  22;   born,  Boston;    printer;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  Aug.  27,  '62. 
CHARLES   BERTSCH  ;   age,  21;    born,  Germany;    painter:    mustered  in  as  corp., 

Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   transferred  to  Co.  C,  22d  V.R.C.,  March  3,  '64;   resi-' 

dence,  Paul  Gore  street,  Jamaica  Plain,  Mass. 
oETH   BESSEY;  age,  36;   born,  Bethel,  Me.;  butcher;    mustered   in   as  priv., 

Co.  G,  July  16,  ;6i  ;   mustered  out,  Oct.  3,  '62;   residence,  Reading,  Mass. 
JOHN   BEST;  age,  25;   born,  Boston;   shoemaker;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G, 

July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    promoted   to  corp.,  May 

i,  '63;  wounded  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;  at  Gettysburg  July  i,  '63,  and 

at  the  Wilderness,  May,  '64;   residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 
ABRAHAM    BIGELO\V;  age,  21;   born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61  ;   mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.   i,  '64;   resi 

dence,  Wellesley,  Mass. 
CHESTER  A.    BIGELOW;  age,    18;   born,    Sherburne,  Mass.;    musician;   mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Feb.  24,  '62;   transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  13, 

'64;    taken  prisoner  at  Gettysburg;   mustered  out,  Feb.  24,  '65;   residence, 

Wellesley,  Mass. 
CHARLES  C.   BIGELOW;   age,  20;   born,  Phillipston,  Mass.;  farmer;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  20,  '61;   detached  on  division  supply  train,  Dec.   2, 

'62;   deserted,  July  20,  "63;   arrested  and  returned  to  duty  on  supply  train, 

June  I,  '64;    desertion  removed,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
DANIEL   R.    BIGELOW;   age,  25;   born,  Hanover,  N.H.;   mason;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  2,  '63. 


-, 


398  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

FRANK  W.   BIGELOW  ;    age,  28;   born,  Weston,  Mass.;   attorney-at-law;  mus 

tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  for  promotion,  Jan.  29, 

'63,  as  capt.  in  the  4th  N.Y.  Cavalry;   residence,  Weston,  Mass. 
GEORGE   E.    BIGELOW;    age,  22;   born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  Aug.  5,  '62;    died  of  wounds,  Dec.  19,  '62. 
I,OKING    BlGELOW;    age,  22;    born,  Quincy,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  cor 

poral,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   died  of  wounds,  Oct.  18,  '62. 
CHARLES    H.    BIXGHAM;    age,  23;    born,  Belfast,   Me.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;    mustered  out,  Oct.  I,  '62;    wounded  at  Antietam, 

Sept.  17,  '62;    detailed,  Dec.,  '62,  at  medical   director's  office,  Washington, 

subsequently  at  adjt.-gen.'s  office,  Washington;    residence,  Boston. 
JABEZ   A.    BLACKMER  ;     age,    18;   born,  Mansfield,   Conn.;   shoemaker;   mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mastered  "(H*-<n»  oopt.,  Nov.  18,  '63. 
WILLIAM   P.   BLACKMER;    age,  31;   clergyman;   mustered  in  as  capt.,  Co.  K, 

July  16,  '61;   resigned,  Nov.  5,  '61. 
EDWARD    BLAKE;    age,  33;    born,  West  Brookfield,  Mass.;    butcher;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
GEORGE   A.    BLAKE;    age,   27;    born,  Dover,  Mass.;    painter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Wellesley, 

Mass. 
JEREMIAH    P.    BLAKE;    age,  28;    born,  Wakefield,  N.H.;    whitener;    mustered 

in    as    priv.,    Co.    E,    July  20,   '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.    I,   '64; 

wounded  twice;    promoted    to  sergt.,   March    i,   '63;    residence,    10  North 

ave.,   Boston. 
BRAINARD    P.    BLANCHARD;    age,  18;  born,  Baltimore,  Md.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.   B,  Aug.   13,  '62;    mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  Aug.   7,  '67; 

commissioned  as   1st  lieut.  U.S.  Col.   Inf.,  July  21,  '64;    wounded  at  Spott- 

sylvania  C.-H.,  May  n,  '64;    brev.-capt.  U.S.  Vols.,  March  13,  '65. 
JOHN   E.    BLANCHARD;    age,  22;    born,  Holderness,  N.H.;    shoemaker;   mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.  13,  '62. 
WARREN   A.    BLANCHARD;    age,  23;   born,  Hallo  well,  Me.;   clerk;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
WILLIAM    F.    BLANCHARD;    age,   23;    born,    Boston;    tailor;    mustered  in    as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July,  '64;    appointed 

2d  lieut.  271)1  U.S.  Colored  Troops,  Aug.  31,  '64;    ist  lieut.,  April  6,  '65; 

brev.-capt.,  March  13,  '65;    wounded,  Nov.  28,  '61,  Aug.  30,  '62,  Dec.  13, 

'62,  Oct.  27,  '64;    taken  prisoner,  July  i,  '63;    recaptured,  May  8,  '64. 
JOHN  J.    BLEULER  ;    age,  28;   born,  Switzerland;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  28,  '63;    transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '63;    wounded. 
REUBEN   BLODGETT;    age,  36;  born,  Tolland,  Conn.;  soap  manufacterer;   mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  29,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

—  /.   '     EDWIN   A.    BLONDE  ;    age,   27;   born,  Boston;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,    '64;   died  at   Boston, 
July  28,  '91. 

CHARLES    BLUCHER;    substitute;    age,  20;   born,  Prussia;    machinist;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  3,  '63;    deserted,  Sept.  19,  '63. 

—  ZJ     EDWARD   E.   BOND;    age,   17;   born,    Marlboro',  Mass.;    farmer;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  17,  '61;   killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 


— 


TliniTKK.\Tll    MASS.     VOLS.  399 


NATHANIEL   BOSWORTH;    age,  29;    born,   Boston;    machinist;    mustered   in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C.July  16,    '6l;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,    '64;    served   at   brigade 

headquarters  the  last  two  years  of  the  service;    residence,  Boston. 
JOHN  A.    BowiAVIN  ;    age,    21  ;    born,   Boston;    printer;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
GEORGE   H.    BOWEN  ;   age,   25;   born,    Hopkinton,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  23,  '63. 
THEODORE   P.    BOWKER,  JR.;  age,  20;    born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds,  Nov.  12,  '62. 
IRA   BOWMAN;    age,  32;   born,  Littleton,  N.I  I.;    silversmith;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  Aug.  22,  '62;  died  of  wounds,  Oct.  6,  '62. 
GEORGE    B.    BOYCE;    age,    36;    born,     Londonderry,     N.H.;     cabinetmaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  29,  '62. 
EDWARD   A.    BOVD;    age,  25;  born,  Newton,  Mass.;    painter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
GEORGE    B.    BOYLE;  age,  25;  born,  England;  machinist;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Sept.  17,  '63. 
JOHN    BOYLE  ;   age,  22;  born,  England;  boatman;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C, 

July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
JoHX    BRACKET!  ;    age,  24;  born,  Ireland;  sailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C, 

July  22,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  21,  '63. 
FRANCIS   A.    BRADBURY;    age,  24;    born,  Newburyport,  Mass.;  grocer;  mus. 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61  ;  transferred,  Nov.   15,  '63,  to  V.R.C. 
JAMES    E.    BRADFORD;    age,    23;     born,   South   Kingston,    R.I.;     bootmaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;    reported  deserted,  March  2,  '63; 

not  returning  from  furlough;    served  as  company  musician. 
DAVID   H.   BRADLEE  ;   age,  34;   mustered  in  as  adjt.,  July  16,  '61;   mustered 

out  as  adjt.,  Aug.  i,  '61;   deceased. 
THOMAS   BRACTHWAITEj    age,  27;    born,  England;    chemist;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  3,  '63;   transferred  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 
BARTLETT    M.    BRAMHAI.L;    age,    19;   born,    Boston;     clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.  16,  '63;   detailed  for  duty  at 

War  Department,  Nov.  20,  '63. 
DAVID    BRAND;    age,   27;   born,   Scotland;     carpenter;    mustered   in    as  priv., 

Co.  E.,  July  28,  '63;    transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 
GEORGE    N.    BRIDGEWATER  ;    age,  27;    born,   England;    seaman;    mustered  in 

as  Corp.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   Nov.    16,    '63,   promoted  to  ist  lieut.  U.S. 

Colored  Troops. 
JOHN   G.    BRIGGS  ;    age,  34;   born,  Dedham,  Mass.;    engineer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61  ;   mustered  out,   June  22,  '62;  transferred  to  the 

navy  as  engineer  steamer  signal  "  Western  Flotilla." 
WILLIAM   H.    BRIGGS;   age,   18;   born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv. 

Co.  E,  July  24,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   address,  Chickering's  fac- 

tory,  Boston. 
WILLIAM    R.    LRIGGS;    age,  21;    born,  Woburn,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    wounded,  July 

3,  '63- 
WlLLIAM   W.   BRIGGS;    age,  41;    born,    Westmoreland,  N.H.;   mason;   mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 


400  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

ALFRED  W.  BRIGHAM;  age  22;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  22,  '62;  wounded  twice, 
Sept.  17,  '62;  commissioned  1st  lieut.  7th  Unattached  Co.,  Mass.  H.A., 
Aug.  11,  '63;  capt.,  Co.  C,  3d  Regt.  Mass.  H.A.,  Oct.  13,  '64;  mustered 
out,  Sept.  1 8,  '65;  residence,  6  Berwick  park,  Boston. 

AUSTIN   D.    BRIGHAM;    age,  25;   born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;   dentist;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

-'  —.  ~T>  CHARLES  R.  BRIGHAM  ;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  23,  '62;  died,  Dec.  15,  '86, 
at  Waupon,  Wis. 

CHARLES  L.  BRIGHAM;  age,  23;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  19,  '62;  resi 
dence,  Baltimore. 

EDWIN  H.  BRIGHAM;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  24,  '64;  appointed  hospital  steward, 
U.S.A.,  Feb.  24,  '64,  and  reenlisted  as  such  for  three  years  from  Feb.  24, 
'67;  residence,  19  Boylston  place,  Boston,  Mass. 

FRANCIS  A.  BRIGHAM;  age,  22;  born,  Westboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  April  2,  '62;  after 
wards  served  in  5ist  Regt.;  residence,  Westboro',  Mass. 

GEORGE  T.  BRIGHAM;  age,  17;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  printer;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 
Union,  N.H. 

HARRISON  M.  BRIGHAM;  age,  23;  born,  Graf  ton,  Mass.;  mechanic;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  Feb.  15,  '64,  to  V.R.C.; 
on  detached  duty  since  July  4,  '62;  residence,  Westboro',  Mass. 

~/.^)     HENRY  J.    BRIGHAM;    age  25;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July   16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.    I,  '64;    died, 
Aug.,  '65. 

SIDNEY  A.  BRIGHAM;  age,  20;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  14,  '63;  taken 
prisoner,  Aug.  30,  '62,  but  parolled  in  three  days. 

^  WILLIAM  F.  BRIGHAM;  age,  19;  born,  West  Acton,  Mass.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds,  July  18,  '64; 
promoted  to  corp. 

JOHN  W.  BRIGHTWELL;  age,  18;  born,  Washington,  D.C.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  n,  '62;  mustered  out  as  color  corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 
residence,  Washington,  D.C. 

JOHN  M.  BROCK;  age,  21;  born,  Mexico,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  killed,  July  i,  '63. 

ORVILLA  L.  BROCK;  age,  22;  born,  Bufield,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  21,  '62. 

AMOS  H.  BRONSDON;  age,  38;  born,  Milton,  Mass.;  painter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  6,  '62;  died,  Jan.  20,  '63. 

ALBERT  F.  BROOKS;  age,  26;  born,  Boston;  bookkeeper;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  29,  '61;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39*  Inf.;  residence, 
Washington,  D.C. 

THOMAS  BROPHY;  age,  21;  born,  New  York  City;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  27,  '63;  sent  to  Camp  Chase,  Ohio,  General  Order  86, 
First  Army  Corps,  '63. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  401 

JAMES  H.  BROUGHTON;  age,  24;  born,  Conway,  N.I  I.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

ABRAHAM  BROWN  ;  age,  35;  born,  England;  spinner;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  27,  '63;  mustered  out,  Jan.  7,  '64. 

DAVID  BROWN;  age,  29;  born,  Milford,  Mass.;  teamster;  mustered  in  as 
teamster,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  teamster,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed  for 
special  duty  in  the  quartermaster's  department;  residence,  Milford,  Mass. 

CHARLES  D.  BROWNE;  age,  22;  born,  Hinsdale,  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  private,  Co.B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  18,  '61;  promoted  to  2d 
lieut.  in  the  2Qth  Mass. 

CYRUS  H.  BROWN;  age,  22;  born,  Stowe,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  July  15,  '64;  promoted 
to  corp.,  Sept.  i,  '62;  transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Dec.  2,  '63;  residence,  Hud 
son,  Mass. 

DAVID    BROWN;  age,    29;    born,    Milford,    Mass.;    teamster;    mustered    in    as  7)  4 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;    on  duty  in  quarter 
master's  department  during  service;    residence,  Milford,  Mass. 

DAVID  L.  BROWN;  age,  34;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  2d  lieut.,  Co.  I,  July 
16,  '61;  resigned,  March  13,  '64;  promotions:  1st  lieut.,  July  25,  '62; 
capt.,  March  13,  '64. 

FRANCIS   BROWN;  age,  24;   born,   Ireland;    lather;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

C,  July  25,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 

FRANCIS    H.    BROWN;     age,    19;    born,   Sudbury,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Jan.  16,  '63. 
FRANK    BROWN;    age,  23;    born,  Nova  Scotia;   seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  G,  July  28,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  23,  '64. 
FRANK    P.    BROWN;    age,  23;    born,  Manchester,  Conn.;    telegraph  operator; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  25,  '63;    transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th 

Inf. 
GEORGE   BROWN;    age,   27;    born,  New  Brunswick;    laborer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  27,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
GEORGE    BROWN;    age,  23;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    re-enlisted,  fan.  4,  '64,   and  transferred  to  39th  Mass.; 

wounded  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Sept.,  '62;    wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June, 

'64;  deceased. 
JOHN    BROWN  ;    age,  22;   lx>rn,  New  Jersey;    carpenter;    mustered   in   as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  26,  '63. 
JOHN   BROWN;   age,  29;   born,   Marlboro',    Mass.;    mustered  in  as  musician, 

July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  musician,  Sept.,  '62. 
JOSEPH    BROWN;    age,  21;    born,  England;    stonecutter;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  G,  July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
LVMAN   W.    BROWN;    age,  18;    born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out,  April  15,  '63. 
WlLLlAM    BROWN;   age,  35;  born,  Scotland;   sailor;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

D,  July  27,  '63;  mustered  out,  April  22,  '64;  transferred  to  the  navy. 
WlLLIAM   H.    BROWN  ;   age,  26;    born,  Framingham,  Mass;   shoemaker:   mus 
tered  in  as  ist  sergt.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61 ;  mustered  out  of  I3th  in  cider  to 
accept  commission,  Aug.   11,  '62;   appointed  2cl  lieut.,  39th  Mass.,  Auj> 
19,  '62,  ist  lieut.,  Sept.  8,  '64;  residence,  Natick,  Mass. 


402  THREE    TEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

WARREN  E.  BRUCE;  age,  23;  born,  Marlboro',  Vt.;  teamster;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  on  duty  in  quarter 
master's  deptartment  after  March  13,  '63. 

ALBERT  H.  BRYANT;  age,  24;  born,  Natick,  Mass. ;  physician;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  IF,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  20,  '62. 

SOLON  A.  BRYANT;  age,  23;  born,  Stoncham,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  24,  '63;  wounded  at 
Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  appointed  3d  asst.  engineer,  U.S.  Navy,  Aug.  17, 
'63;  mustered  out,  Dec.  3,  '65. 

STILLMAN  F.  BRYANT;  age,  21;  born,  Westboro',  Mass;  shoemaker;- mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  31,  '62;  de 
ceased. 

WALTER  C.  BRYANT;  age,  22;  born,  Tamworth,  N.II.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  private,  Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  27,  '62;  wounded,  2d 
Bull  Run;  residence,  Hyde  Park,  Mass. 

ALEXANDER  W.  BRYER  ;  age,  22;  born,  Boston;  rigger;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed  for  duty  in 
hospital  department. 

WILLIAM  BUCK;  age,  27;  born,  Canada;  hostler;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
B,  July  25,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  20,  '63. 

WILLIAM  M.  BUCKMAN ;  age,  20;  born,  Woburn,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  March  6,  '63;  pro 
moted  to  capt.  in  8oth  U.S.  Colored  Troops;  died  at  New  Orleans,  La., 
Sept.  27,  '63. 

THOMAS  J.  BUFFUM  ;  age,  20;  born,  No.  Berwick,  Me.;  dry-goods  dealer; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Aug.  8,  '62;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  corp.,  June,  '64;  residence,  Boston. 

CHARLES  F.  BULFINCH  ;  age,  19;  born,  Dahlonega,  Ga.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Jan.  20,  '63;  promoted  to  corp., 
before  desertion. 

GEORGE  A.  BULL;  age,  19;  born,  Hartford,  Conn.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  24,  '62. 

SlLAS  B.  BULL;  age,  24;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '61;  mustered 
out,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

EMORY  BULLARD  ;  age,  37;  born,  Westboro',  Mass.;  joiner;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  10,  '62;  residence,  Boston, 
Mass. 

SAMUEL  M.  BULLARD;  age,  42;  born,  Franklin,  Mass.;  piano-forte  maker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  27,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  2O,  '62. 

WlLLIAM  H.  BURDICK  ;  age,  33;  born,  Danvers,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  31,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  29,  '63. 

JOHN  W.  BURDITT  ;  age,  30;  born,  So.  Reading,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 
Wakefield,  Mass. 

WALTER  H.  BURGESS;  age,  23;  born,  Providence,  R.I.;  machinist;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  Sept.  I,  '62;  mustered  out,  March  19,  '63. 

JOHN  BURKE  ;  age,  25;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
K,  July  1 6,  '61;  deserted,  July  26,  '61. 

CHRISTOPHER  BURKE;  age,  27;  born,  Boston;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  28,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 


THIRTEENTH    J/.l.SS.     VOLS.  403 

JOHN   S.    BURNAP ;    age,    21;    born,    Westboro',    Mass.;    painter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   died,  Dec.  10,  '61. 
GEORGE    BURNS;    age,  21;   born,  Ireland;    sailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H, 

July  28,  '63;    died,  Dec.,  '63,  Belle  Isle,  while  a  prisoner  of  war. 
JOHN   BURNS;    age,   21;   born,   Ireland;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E, 

July  16,  '61;   deserted,  Aug.  23,  '61. 
THOMAS    BURNS;    age,    19;     born,   South  Boston;     milkman;    mustered  in   as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  May  4,  '62;   deceased. 
ALFRED   M.   BURTON;    age,   18;   born,  Wilton,  N.H.;   carpenter;     mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  Sept.  10,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  taken  prisoner 
at  Gettysburg  and  paroled. 
GEORGE    BUSH  ;    age,  30;   mustered  in  as  2d  lieut.,  Co.  A.  July  I,  '61;    killed, 

April  30,  '63;    promotions:  1st  lieut.,  Jan.  31,  '62;    capt.,  Feb.  27,  '63. 
EDWIN   P.   BUSWELL  ;    age,  24;  born,  Concord,  N.II.;  printer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  7,  '62;    mustered  out,  Oct.  7,  '63;  wounded,  July  I,  '63. 
ALONZO   A.    BUTLER;    age,    27;     born,    Vermont;     seaman;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  28,  '63;    mustered  out,  Jan.  21,  '64. 

JOSEPH    E.   BUTMAN;   age,   18;   born,  Framingham,  Mass.;   machinist;   mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    transferred  to  Y.K.C.,   Sept.  22,  '63; 
residence,  Situate,  Mass. 
WILLIAM    H.   BUTTERKIELD;    age,  21;    born,  Wayland,  Mass.;   shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '62;   mustered  out,  Feb.  18,  '63. 
CHARLES    H.    BUTTERS;    age,   22;     born,  Waltham,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  June  17,  '62. 
W.    B.    BUTTERS;    age,  18;   born,  Wilmington,  Mass.;    farrier;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  Dec.  28,  '63;  .transferred  to  39th  Mass. 
CHARLES   CAILLOUX;    age,    27;    born,  Canada;     tradesman;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  24,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  21,  '63. 

JOHN   CALLAGHAN  ;    age,  18;    born,  Boston;    farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.  18,    '63;    wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept. 
17,  '62. 
HENRY   J.    CALLAHAN;    age,  23;   born,  Boston;    printer;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  April  23,  '63. 
JOHN   CALLAHAN  ;    age,  18;    born,  Boston;    farmer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  July  29,  '62;   transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Sept.  i,  '63. 
JOHN   CALLAHAN  ;    age,   18;    born,  Ireland;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.  19,  '63. 
WALTER   CALLENDAR  ;    age,    26;   born,    Sterling,    Scotland;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,   ?6i ;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
HUGH    C.    CAMPHELL  ;    age,  22;    born,  King's  Co.,  P.E.I.;  currier;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Feb.  28,  '63. 
EDWARD   CARKEAU;    age,   30;     born,   Newfoundland;   lumberman;     mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  27,  '63;   deserted,  Dec.  20,  '63. 

SAMUEL  S.  CARLETON  ;  age,  21;  born,  Claremont,  N.H.;  pattern-maker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  2,  '64;  died, 
of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville,  May  4,  '63. 

JOHN  W.  CARROLL;  age,  21;  born,  Sanford,  Me.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  12,  '63;  address,  Roxbury, 
Mass. 


404  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

CALVIN  H.  CARTER;  age,  24;  born,  Berlin,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  sergt.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Nov.  14,  '62;  wounded  at 
Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;  declined  commission;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 

GEORGE    CARTIZE;    age,    23;    born,   Corsica;    ship-carpenter;    mustered   in    as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  27,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

"^       JOSEPH   S.    GARY;    age,  29;  born,  Wayne,  Me.;   merchant  tailor;    mustered  in 
as  capt.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  28,  '63;  deceased. 

SAMUEL  E.  GARY;  age,  21;  born,  Wayne,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  sergt., 
Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.;  promoted  to  Co.  F,  2d  lieut., 
Feb.  27,  '63;  promoted  to  ist  lieut.,  Oct.  23,  '63;  residence,  New  York  City. 

WILLIAM  HOWARD  GARY;  age,  31;  born,  Ware,  Mass;  druggist;  mustered 
in  as  2d  lieut.,  Co.  D.July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  I, 
'64;  promoted  to  1st  lieut.,  Feb.  7,  '62,  capt.,  Dec.  30,  '62;  residence, 
Boston. 

JOHN  CASEY;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B, 
July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  20,  '63. 

THOMAS  CASEY;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;  currier;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B, 
July  10,  '63;  killed,  June  22,  '64. 

JOHN  R.  CASWELL  ;  age,  25;  born,  Elliott,  Me.;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

JAMES  W.  CHAFFIN;  age,  21;  born,  Palmer,  Mass.;  teamster;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  March  27,  '62;  July  14,  '64,  transferred  to  39th  Mass. 

A.    E.    CHAMBERLAIN;    age,  24;    born,  Southboro',   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  7,  '63;  wounded 
Ai  at  Antietam;  residence,  Holliston,  Mass.;    postmaster. 

*•*  DEXTER  A.  CHAMBERLAIN;  age,  25;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  i, 
'64;  residence,  Holliston,  Mass. 

PERRY    D.  CHAMBERLAIN  ;  age,  27;  tanner;    mustered  in  as  ist  lieut.,  Co.  H, 

'  ••*  July  16,  '6l ;  resigned,  Feb.  6,  '62. 

SPENCER  CHAMBERLAIN;  age,  34;  born,  No.  Woodstock,  Conn.;  boot 
maker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I, 
'64. 

WILLIAM  R.  CHAMPNEY  ;  age,  26;  born,  Boston;  brass-finisher;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  May  7,  '63,  on 
account  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam;  residence,  Winter  Hill,  Somer- 
ville,  Mass. 

JOSEPH  CHANDLER;  age,  32;  born,  Lexington,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  24,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  17,  '63. 

LORENZO  A.  CHAPMAN;  age,  34;  born,  Princeton,  Mass.;  bootmaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  14,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

HENRY  CHASE;  age,  25;  born,  Canada;  pedler;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
C,  July  25,  '63;  mustered  out,  Oct.  29,  '63. 

WILLIAM  CHASE;  age,  21;  born,  Albany,  N.Y.;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  27,  '63;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

DAVID  CHENERY,  JR.  ;  age,  23;  born,  Watertown,  Mass.;  yeoman;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Jan.  27,  '63;  wounded  at 
battle  of  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62,  while  carrying  the  colors;  residence,  Bel- 
mont,  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  405 

GEORGE  S.  CHENEY;  age,  35;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  tinsmith;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  25,  '63;  wounded  at 
Sir  John's  Run,  Md. 

EZEKIEL  W.   CHOATE  ;  age,  25;  born,  Newburyport,  Mass.;  sailor;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  7,  '62,  Washington,  D.C. 
ROBERT  CHOATE;  age,  33;   born,  Riverdelieu,  Can.;   hatter;   mustered  in  as       -^«- 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  April  17,  '63;    deceased. 
OLIVER   L.   CHILD;  age,  47;  born,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  painter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July   16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.   i,  '64;   detailed  at  head 
quarters  of  brigade,  July  6,  '62. 

JOHN   F.   CHILDS  ;    age,  21;    born,  Chesterville,  Me.;    shoemaker;   mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.   I,  March   u,  '62;   July  14,   '64,  transferred  to  39th  Mass.; 
wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63;   residence,  Natick,  Mass. 
JOHN   CHRISTOPHER;    age,  43;   born,  New  York  City;   machinist;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  Aug.   I,  '61;   transferred  to  navy,  Feb.  14,  '62. 

WILLIAM   H.    P.    CHRISTOPHER;    age,    19;     born,  Brookfield,   N.S.;    clerk;          .^ 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   I,  July  21,   '62;   died,  Sept.  18,  '62,  from  wounds 
received  at  Bull  Run. 
KDWARD   CHURCH;    age,  28;    born,  Derby,  Conn.;    carpenter;    mustered  in  as        >1>v 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  July  3,  '63. 

JOSEPH  CHURCH;  age,  25;  born,  Little  Compton,  R.I.;  druggist;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  28,  '62;  mustered  out,  April  16,  '63;  promoted  to 
1st  lieut.,  6th  Rhode  Island. 

WM.  W.  CLAFLIN  ;   surgeon;    mustered  in  as  asst.  surg.,    April    29,   '62;    re 
signed,  Dec.  I,  '62. 
JAMES  C.   CLAPP;   age,  20;   born,  Dorchester,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered  in  as     ^.J  ^ 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   died,  Jan.  4,  '64. 
GEORGE   CI-ARK;   age,  18;   born,  Oakdale,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,    4>r-  -,. 

Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  Aug.  28,  '62. 

JOHN   C.    CLARK;    age,  2i;   born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    plumber;    mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.    A,    July    29,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,  '64;-  residence,  373 
Dudley  street,  Boston,  Mass. 
WlLLIAM    L.   G.    CLARK;    age,  24;   born,  Wayne,  Me.;   clerk;  mustered  in  as    tj,'^ 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  March  25,  '63;   deceased. 
WlLLIAM   L.   CLARK;    age,  34;   merchant;   mustered  in  as  capt.,  Co.  II,  July         ^^ 

16,  '6j;   resigned,  July  24,  '62;   deceased. 

WlLLIAM  T.  CLARK;  age,  19;  born, -Lowell,  Mass.;  student;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  27,  '64;  after  battle  of 
Antietam  was  detailed  for  duty  as  clerk  at  various  headquarters  until  dis- 
charged,  and  then  appointed  as  a  clerk  in  adjt.-gen.'s  office,  Washington; 
died,  April  4,  '88. 
PATRICK  H.  CLEARY  ;  age,  20;  born,  Ireland  (Drogheda);  sailor;  mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   died,  April  2,  '62,  at  Manassas. 
JAMES   CLEMENS;    age,  20;    born,  Ireland;    boatman;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

D,  July  28,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

CHARLES   A.   CLEMENT;    age,  21;   born,  Andover,  Mass.;   printer;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  1 6,  '61;   died  of  wounds,  Sept.   30,  '63; 
at  Gettysburg. 


406  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

GEORGE  W.  CLIFFORD;  age,  18;  born,  Derby  Centre,  Vt.;  farmer's  boy; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  16,  '62;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Aug. 
i,  '64;  wounded,  May  8,  '64;  residence,  West  Gardner,  Mass. 

JAMES  M.  CLOUGH;  age,  25;  born,  Bristol,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  28,  '63. 

LOUIS  F.  C LOUGH  ;  age,  19;  born,  Exeter,  N.H. ;  machinist;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  24,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  wounded,  July  i,  '63. 

EDWARD  W.  CODY;  age,  24;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  sergt., 
Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  ist  lieut.,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence, 
Boston. 

JAMES  CODY  ;  age,  32;  born,  Waterford,  Ireland;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  29,  '62;  wounded  at  Manassas, 
Aug.  30,  '62. 

CHARLES  E.  COFFIN;  age,  24;  born,  Berwick,  Me.;  manufacturer  and 
farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  19, 
'62;  residence,  Berwick,  Me. 

DAVID  B.  COFFIN;  age,  21;  born,  Manchester,  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Win 
chester,  Mass. 

HENRY  C.  COFFIN;  age,  29;  born,  Shapleigh,  Me.;  cutter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  2,  '63;  residence,  Boston. 

CHARLES  H.  COGGINS;  age,  26;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

CHARLES  E.  COLBURN;  age,  18;  born,  Dedham,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;  killed,  May  8,  '64. 

JOSEPH  COLBURN;  age,  29;  merchant;  mustered  in  as  1st  lieut.,  July  16,  '61; 
promoted  to  capt.,  Feb.  3,  '63;  major,  59th  Mass.,  Oct.  23,  '63. 

JOSEPH  W.  COLCORD;  age,  18;  born,  Honolulu,  S.  I.;  student;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Jan.  15,  '64. 

SETH  L.  COLE;  age,  26;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered 
out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed  at  headquarters  Ist  Corps  and  at  General  Grant's 
headquarters;  residence,  Gloucester,  Mass. 

EDWARD  COLEMAN;  age,  21;  born,  England;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  25,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 

EUGENE   B.    COLEMAN;    age,   19;    born,   Boston;    mustered  in,   July   16,  '61; 

deserted,  Aug.  16,  '6 1. 

""— t— '  CHARLES  H.  COLLINS;  age,  18;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  provision  dealer; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  de 
ceased. 

JOHN  COLLINS;  age,  18;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  March  19,  '62;  mustered  out,  Sept.  25,  '65,  Albany;  trans 
ferred  to  i8th  Co.,  2d  Batt.,  V.R.C.;  residence,  Holliston,  Mass. 

JOHN  C.  COLLINS;  age,  25;  born,  Ireland;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  26,  '63. 

JOHN  M.  COLLINS;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  telegrapher;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

LOWELL  1.  COLLINS;  age,  29;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Feb.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Feb.  17,  '64;  resi 
dence,  Southboro',  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  407 


LUKE   CoLLTNS;   age,  44;-  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;   shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Jan.  11,  '63;  died,  June  I,  '88. 

CHARLES   COI.LIS;    age,  20;   born,  Boston;   music  clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.   i,  '64;   detailed  at  headquarters 

of   the    Provost    Marshal    General,    Army  of   the    Potomac;   residence,    26 

Broadway,  N.Y. 
CHARLES   W.    COMSTOCK;    age,    18;    born,    Westboro',  Mass.;    laborer;    mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 

residence,  Upton,  Mass. 
ALBERT    CONANT;    age,    22;    born,    Stowe,    Mass.;     farmer;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  Aug.  9,   '61. 
C.   H.    CONANT;    age,  20;   born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;   shoemaker;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   G,  July  16,    '61;   mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.    i,  '64;    pro 

moted  to  corp.,  June  I,  '64;   residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 
DANIEL  S.    CONDON  ;    age,  24;   born,  Ireland;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  24,  '63;  transferred,  March  6,  '64,  to  V.R.C. 
WILLIAM     CONNELL;      age,  23;   born,  New  York  City;   butcher;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  27,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
CHARLES   W.    COOK;  age,    24;     born,    Portsmouth,    N.H.;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  July   16,    '61;    mustered  out,  May   29,   '63.     Was  sent  from   Front 

Royal,  Va.,  with  typhoid  fever  to  Carver  hospital,  irom  which  place  he  was 

furloughed  to  Boston,  where  he  was  discharged. 
FREEMAN  J.    COOK;    age,  19;  born,  Boston;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  sergt., 

July  17,  '61;  mustered  out  as  1st  sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64;  died,  Feb.  28,  '68. 
GEORGE   F.   COOK;    age,  15;  born,  Reading,  Mass.;  musician;  mustered  in  as 

musician,  Co.  G,  Aug.  n,  '62;  mustered  out,  Sept.  25,  '62. 
HENRY   K.    COOK  ;    age,   26;    born,   Newton,  Mass;    wood-carver;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61.     Sent  to  hospital  sick  in  Dec.,   '61.     All 

traces  of  him  lost  since  that  time.     No  further  record. 
JOHN   E.   COOK;    age,  23;   born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    machinist;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
JOHN   F.   CoOK;   age,    18;    born,    Reading,   Mass.;    painter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.   I,  '64;  wounded  at  Gettys 

burg,  July  I,  '63. 
FRANK   COOLIDGE  ;  age,  25;  born,  Sherborne,  Mass.  ;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,   Co.    H,  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out    as  corp.,    Aug.    i,    '64;   p 

moted  to  corp.,  March  18,  '63;  residence,  Riverside,  Cal. 
LEDRA   A.   COOUDGE  ;  age,    24;    born,   Marlboro',    Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out  as   principal  musician, 

Feb.,  '63. 
SlLAS   A.    COOLIDGE;    age,   20;    born,  Bolton,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Oct.  n,  '62;   reenlisted,  Co. 

D,  59th  Mass.,  Feb.  9,  '64,  and  died  July  i,  '64. 
SAMUEL  A.   COOMBS  ;   age,  22;  born,  Boston;   pump-maker;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '6l;   mustered  out,  April  23,  '63;   residence,  Somer- 

ville,  Mass. 
WlLLIAM    M.    COOMBS;    age,  20;  born,  Salem,  Mass.;  draughtsman;  mustered 

in  as  corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61  ;   mustered  out  as  1st  sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 

promoted  to  sergt.,  Nov.,   '63;    1st  sergt.,  June,  '64;    in  charge  of  brigade 


/") 


j\ 
J-^ 


408  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

cattle  guard  from   June,    '62,  to  Oct.,   '63;    residence,   16    Paris  st.,  East 

Boston. 
THOMAS    COOPER;    age,   20;    born,  New  York  City;    printer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  28,  '63;   transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 
JOHN   COPELAND  ;    age,  20;   born,   Ireland;    laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

K,    July   16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Jan.   7,   '63;    afterwards  enlisted  in  571)1 

Mass,  and  killed  at  Wilderness,  May,  '64. 
THOMAS    COPELAND;    age,  18;    born,   Ireland;   laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Bull  Run. 
WILLIAM    CORDWELL;    age,   31;    born,   Boston;   boot-finisher;    mustered  in  as 

2d  sergt.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   promoted  2d  lieut.,  Feb.  14,  '63;   killed  op 

posite  Fredericksburg,  April  30,  '63. 
BENJAMIN    CORLISS;    age,  27;   born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker,   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   H,  July  16,  '61;   name  was  stricken  from  the  roll  by  Capt. 

Clarke,  Aug.  12,  '61;   was  sent  home  sick  by  Col.  Leonard  from  Perth  Am- 

boy,  July  31,  '61. 
JOHN   COSTIN;    age,  22;   born,  Prince  Edward  Island;    saddler;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  May  6,  '63. 
CHARLES    H.    COTTING;    age,   20;    born,   Bedford,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  I,  July  16,   '61;   promoted  to  2d  lieut.,  5gth  Mass. 

Inf.,  Dec.    16,  '63;   residence,  Lynn,  Mass. 
ROBERT    COWIE  ;    age,  26;   born,  Scotland;    blacksmith;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,   July  2O,    '6l;    promoted  to   Corp.;    transferred,   March    10,    '64,    to 

V.R.C. 
SETH   W.    COWING;    age,  34;   born,  Dighton,  Mass.;    mariner;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  Sept.  5,  '62;   mustered  out,  Nov.  6,  '62;   commissioned  lieut. 

in  the  nth  R.I.  Vols.,  Nov.  6,  '62. 
GEORGE   E.    CRAIG;    age,   28;   mustered  in  as  quartermaster,   July    16,    '61; 

mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  Walpole,  Mass. 
SlLAS   P.   CRANE;    age,  27;   born,  Boston;   grocer;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  23,  '63;   wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
ANDREW  T.    CRAWLEY  ;   age,  21;   born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Dec.  6,  '62. 
WlLLIAM   H.    CRAWLEY;    age,  19;   born,  Boston;   clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  July  26,  '62. 
HORACE   L.   CROCKER;    age,   19;   born,  Barnstable,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   died,  March  18,  '62,  at  Centerville,  Va.,  of 

fever. 
JOHN   H.   CROCKER  ;    age,    20;    born,   Charlestown,   Mass.;   clerk;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Dec.  30,  '62;   residence, 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 
•GEORGE    L.    CROSBY;    age,  28;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  artist;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out  as  corp.,  Nov.  20,  '62;   afterwards 

1st  lieut.  5th  Mass.  (100  days)  regiment;   residence,  Washington,  D.C. 
J.  Q.  CROSBY;   age,  29;   born,  Manchester,  N.H.;   shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Wash- 

ington,  D.C. 
ROBERT   CROSBY;  age,  20;  born,  Boston;    shoe-finisher;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  409 


GEORGE   L.   W.   CROSS;  age;   19;   born,  Hanover,  N.H.;   shoemaker;   mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   dropped  from  the  rolls,  Feb.  I,  '62; 

reenlisted,  Feb.    17,  '62,  in  Co.  G,   I5th  Mass.,  and  was  killed  at  Gettys- 

burg,  July  2,   '63;    left  the   I3th  in  January,    '62,  on  a  furlough;    wrote  to 

Captain  Whitcomb  for  money  to  return,  and  was  refused,  whereupon  he  en 

listed  in  the  1  5th. 
CHARLES    H.    CROUCH;  age,  26;    born,   Reading,    Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  March  29,  '63. 
WILLIAM    L.    CROWE;    age,   31;   born,  Halifax,    N.S.  ;    cabinet-maker;    mus 

tered  in  as  Corp.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  7,  '63;  residence, 

Reading,  Mass. 
ISAAC    B.    CROWELL  ;   age,    20;    born,    Yarmouth,    Mass.;    printer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
JOHN   H.    CROWLEY  ;  age,   21;    born,   East    Boston,   Mass.;    lastmaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;   dropped  from  the  rolls,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
DAVID    CROWTHER  ;   age,  24;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

C,  Feb.  12,  '62;    mustered  out,  Jan.  19,  '63;    wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
JAMES    CULLEN;   age,   21;    born,   Saxonville,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  29,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  29,  '63. 
WlLLIA.M    H.    CUNDY  ;   age,   28;    printer;    mustered    in   as  corp.,  Co.  A,  July 

16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Nov.  u,  '65,  Elmira,  N.V.;    promotions:    1st  lieut. 

4ist  Mass.  Vols.,  Aug.  30,   '62;   capt.  in  4Oth  Mass.  Vols.,  Jan.  16,  '63; 

transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Oct.  20,  '63;    residence,  Boston. 
CHARLES   N.   W.    CUNNINGHAM;     age,   18;    born,  Cleveland,  O.;   druggist; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  5>  '63;    com- 

missioned  in  the  regular  army,  and  became  a  captain  by  promotion;    died  in 

Texas,  March  9,  '93. 
JAMES   CURRIF.  ;  age,  21;   born,  Ireland;   teamster;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  Aug.  3,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 
GEORGE   CURRIER;   age,  2i;  born,  Readfield,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  March  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  May  26,  '62. 
HORACE    P.    CURRIER;    age,  30;    born,    South    Reading,    Mass.;    machinist; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;    wagon 

and  forage  master,  2d  Div.,  1st  Corps;    residence,  Chelsea,  Mass. 
JAMES     CURRIER;    age,  18;   born,  Readfield,  Me.;  shoemaker;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
SAMUEL  CURRIER;    age,  29;   born,  Readfield,  Me.;    leather-cutter;   mustered 

in   as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.    18,   '62;   wounded, 

Sept.  17,  '62. 
ALBERT   O.    CURTIS;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  24,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,   62. 
ELIJAH   J.    CURTIS;    age,    20;   born,  Roxbury,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  July  28,  '6l;  mustered  out,  April  24,  '63. 
GEORGE    H.    CURTIS;  age,  18;  born,  Worcester,  Mass.;    painter;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,   Aug.    I,  '64;    wounded,  July  I, 
'63- 

JOHN    B.    CURTIS;    age,  19;  born,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.;    clerk;   mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64. 


410  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

— L-}     CHAS.    B.    GUSHING;    age,    19;  born,  Boston;  machinist;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  drowned  in  Shenandoah  river,  June  6,  '62. 

FRANCIS  L.  GUSHING;  age,  26;  born,  Boston;  driver;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  Aug.  9,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

SETH  K.  GUSHING;  age,  18;  born,  Blue  Hill,  Me.;  butcher;  mustered  in  as 
.priv.,  Co.  D,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Boston, 
Mass. 

JAMES   CUSHMAN;    age,   21;     born,    Montreal;     shoemaker;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  27,  '63;    deserted,  Dec.  I,  '63. 

'  WILLIAM  W.  CUSHMAN;  age,  20;  born,  Phillips,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  March  23,  '63; 
wounded  at  Bull  Run;  residence,  Lawrence,  Mass. 

GEORGE   M.    CUTHBERT;     age,    37;   born,    England;    ambrotypist;    mustered 
"^sU  in    as    priv.,   Co.   I,  July   16,    '61;    mustered  out,   Aug.    i,   '64;    wounded, 

Bethesda   Church,   Va.;    wounded   at   Bull   Run,   Aug.    30,    '62;    residence, 
Marlboro',   Mass. 

WILLIAM    A.    CUTLER;    age,    26;    born,    Litchfield,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Feb.  23,  '64; 
_^  wounded  at  Gettysburg;   residence,  Natick,  Mass. 

'  HORATIO   A.    CUTTING;    age,  44;    born,  Attleboro',  Mass.;    bootmaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,    Co.  K,  Aug.  I,  '62;    died  of  wounds  received  at   Gettys 
burg,  July  22,  '63. 

JAMES  H.  CUTTING;  age,  18;  born,  Boylston,  Mass.;  laborer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  Dec.  9,  '62,  to  iSth  U.S.  Regu 
lars;  wounded  at  Antietam;  killed  in  Wilderness,  '63. 

MlCHAEL  J.  DAGNEY  ;  age,  23;  born,  Boston;  moulder;  mustered  in  as 
sergt.,  July  i,  '61;  mustered  out  as  ist  lieut.,  March  7,  '64;  promotions: 
2d  lieut.,  Feb.  2,  '63;  1st  lieut.,  Dec.  8,  '63;  residence,  Boston. 

KBENEZER  W.  DAILY;  age,  40;  born,  Canada;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  Jan.  2,  '64;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Mass. 

CHARLES  R.  DALE;  age,  19;  born,  Matagorda,  Tex.;  currier;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  July  3, 
'63;  residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 

JAMES  DAMMERS;  age,  32;  born,  Boston;  mariner;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
A,  Aug.  12,  '62;  mustered  out,  Nov.  10,  '62;  wounded  at  Antietam;  resi 
dence,  Chelsea,  Mass. 

WlLLIAM  S.  DAMRELL;  age,  23;  born,  Boston;  printer;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.;  promotions:  sergt.,  Aug. 
30,  '62;  2cl  lieut.,  March  6,  '63;  taken  prisoner  at  Spottsylvania,  and  re 
mained  so  till  after  regiment  was  mustered  out;  died  at  Springfield,  Mass. 

ISAAC  D.  DANA;  age,  27;  born,  Brighton,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  2,  '62,  on  account  of  wounds 
received  at  Antietam;  residence,  Boston. 

EDWARD  S.  DANFORTH;  age,  20;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 

ALFRED  DAVENPORT;  age,  20;  born,  Dorchester,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  April  7,  '64. 

MELVIN  A.  DAVENPORT;  age,  21;  born,  Upton,  Mass.;  bonnet-presser; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Feb.  17, 
'63;  wounded  at  Antietam;  residence,  Park  Hotel,  Attleboro',  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  411 

ALBERT  DAVIDSON;  n^o,  26;  born,  (}roton,  N.IL;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  (",  July  28,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  23,  '64. 

CHARLES  E.  DAVIS,  JR.;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  19,  '63;  wounded  and  taken 
prisoner,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Manassas;  P.O.  address,  12  Beacon  street,  Boston. 

EDSON  C.  DAVIS;  age,  25;  born,  Walpole,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  resi 
dence,  Cochituate,  Mass.  ^£)  *L^*.  2-S '.  )^I^O 

EDWIN  I./.  DAVIS;  age,  22;  born.  Nelson,  N.H.;  sashmaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  29,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corporal;  transferred  to  6th 
Hegt.  Y.R.C.;  deceased. 

FRANCIS  DAVIS;  age,  30;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  March  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Sept.  30,  '62;  died,  Dec.  9, 
'72. 

JOHN  P.  DAVIS;  age,  24:  born,  Methuen,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

WILLIAM  DAVIS;  age,  28;  born,  Salisbury,  N.H.;  baggage-master;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

WlLLIAM  W.  DAVIS;  age,  20;  born,  Reading,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  22,  '63;  wounded  at  Gettys 
burg,  July  I,  '63,  and  taken  prisoner;  appointed  1st  lieut.  59th  Mass.; 
wounded  at  Petersburg,  '64;  lost  an  arm;  residence,  Reading,  Mass. 

AMBROSE  DAWES;  age,  19;  born,  Quincy,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded  at  Antietam, 
Sept.  17,  '62;  residence,  Xew  York  City. 

WARREN  W.  DAY;  born,  Hill,  X.H.;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16, 
'61;  deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63,  from  hospital  in  Washington,  D.C. 

HENRY  DEADMAN;  age,  39;  born,  South  Reading,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mus- 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '62;  mustered  out,  Dec.  23,  '63. 

GEORGE  E.  DEAN;  ag.-,  19;  born,  Taunton,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Aug.  13,  '61. 

CHARLES  ().  DEMERIT!1 ;  age,  22;  born,  Ossipee,  N.H.;  machinist;  mus 
tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  I),  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  25,  '63: 
wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Manassas;  deceased. 

JOSEPH  P.  DEXTER,  JR.  ;  age,  25;  born,  Boston;  painter;  mustered  in  a> 
musician,  July  20,  '61;  musteted  out,  June  20,  '62;  residence,  North 
Underbill,  Yt.' 

ELBRIDGE  L.  DEXTER;  age,  26;  born,  Boston;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  6,  '62;  Aug.  2,  '63,  enlisted  in  the 
navy  for  one  year.  ^  ^  . 

GEORGE   T.    DICKEY  ;    age,    35;    born,   Weston,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in  * 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  died  March  4,  '62,  at  Williamsport,  Md. 

FREDERICK   A.    DICKINSON;    age,    23;    born,    Deerfield,    Mass.;    clerk;    mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62.  — -Z^ 

EDWIN  C.  DOCKHAM  ;  age,  23;  born,  Oxford,  N.H.;  blacksmith;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded, 
May  8,  '64;  residence,  Worcester,  Mass.  //  ^" /^^^f^^.^^.  j2c^ 

CHARLES    B.    DODGE;    age,  24;    born,    Haverhill,    Mass.;    silversmith;    mus-  -^ 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  9,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,      Ssx««X/ 
July  I,  '63;  died,  July  27,  '85. 


412  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    AEMY. 

MOSES    G.    DODGE;    age,   53;    born,    Greenfield,   N.H.;    carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.,   '64;  transferred  to  An 
drews  Sharpshooters,  Oct.  I,  '61,  discharged  from  same,  Dec.,  '62;  reenlisted 

in  H.A.  (3d  Regt.),  Nov.,  '63. 
MlCHAEL    B.    DOHERTY  ;    age,    24;  born,    Boston;    druggist;    mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  24,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
GEORGE    F.    DONLEY;    age,  16;  born,  Chicopee,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Feb.  7,  '63. 
JOSEPH    DONNELL;    age,  19;    born,  Roxbury,   Mass.;    machinist;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  wounded  June  13, 

'64;    residence,  Dayton,  O. 
jy     DENNIS   J.    DONOVAN;    age  19;    born,  Boston;    teamster;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,   July  i6,'6i;    mustered   out,    Aug.    I,    '64;    wounded  at  Gettysburg, 

July  i,  '63. 
IRA   L.    DONOVAN;    age,   22;    born,   Hookset,  N.H.;  laborer;    mustered  in  as 

wagoner,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  South 

Framingham,  Mass. 
JAMES    W.    DONOVAN;    age,  21;    born,   Boston;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  Feb.  27,  '62;    mustered  out,  May  8,  '62. 
HENRY    P.    DORMAN;    age,  21;    born,  Bridgeton,  Me.;  baker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  8,  '63;  residence,  Auburn,  Me. 
LEVI    L.    DORR;    age,   21;    bom,  No.  Bridgewater,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as   priv.,   Co.    B,    July  6,    '61;    transferred,  May   5,    to   V.R.C.;    residence, 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 
JAMES    H.    DOREY  ;    age,   23;    born,  New  York  City;    printer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  Aug.  6,  '62;    mustered  out,  Jan.  31,  '63;    wounded  at  2d   Bull 

Run,  and  died  of  wounds,  Oct.  2,  '62,  at  Philadelphia. 
HENRY    DOTEY;    age,  20;    born,  Piermont,  N.H.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  May  24,  '62. 
)        GEORGE    R.    DOUGLAS;    age,  20;    born,  New  York   City;    clerk;    mustered   in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61:    mustered  out,  Jan.  29,  '63;    afterwards  served 

eleven   months  quartermaster  sergeant,   Co.   E,  4th    H.A.,    M.V.M.;    died 

April  28,  '72. 
^)        HENRY    DOVE  ;    age,  23;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  painter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.   E,  July  16,  '61;    wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63;  mustered  out  as 

ist  lieut.,  Aug.  i,  '64;   deceased. 
ANDREW   J.    Dow;   age,  33;   born,  Warner,  N.H.;    carpenter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,   '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.   19,   '63:   residence,  Stone- 
ham,  Mass. 
£_)      JOHN    K.    DOWLING;   age,  22;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

D,  July   16,   '61;    missing  since   Aug.   30,  '62;    probably  killed. 
THOMAS    I.    DOWNEY;   age,  22;    born,  Roxbury,   Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  24,    '61;    transferred,   March  30,    '64,   to  Y.R.C.; 

residence,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

CHARLES    DRAYTON;   age,  18;  born,  North  Bridgewater,  Mass.;  painter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  March  30,  '63; 
afterwards  served  as  lieut.  37th  U.S.  Colored  Regiment;   residence,  Wes- 
boro',  Mass. 
OTIS   DRAYTON;  age,   18;   born,  North  Bridgewater,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered 


THIRTEENTH    MA  US.     VOLS.  413 

in    as   priv.,  Co.    K,  Aug.   17,  '62;    never    rejoined    regiment    after   being 
ordered  to  it,  from  hospital;    deserted  Nov.  19,  '63. 

CHARLES  A.  DREW;  age,  21;  horn,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  North- 
field,  Minn. 

CHARLES  F.  DREW;  age,  24;  born,  Ilolderness,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14, 
'64. 

NICHOLAS  B.  DREW;  age,  38;  born,  Fort  Edward,  N.Y.;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  23,  '63. 

CORNELIUS  F.  DRISCOLL;  age,  20;  born,  Cork,  Ireland;  plumber;  mustered 
in  as  corp.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  H.A.,  Sept. 
17,  '65;  ad  lieut.,  7th  Co.  II. A.,  Aug.  11,  '63;  1st  lieut.,  Oct.  i,  '63; 
capt.,  i6th  Co.,  Aug.  31,  '64;  wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  Aug.  30, 
'62;  discharged  from  I3th,  Oct.  31,  '62;  residence,  Michigan  avenue, 
Boston. 

CHARLES  H.  DRURY  ;  age,  23;  born,  Fort  Edward,  N.Y.;  shoemaker;  mus- 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  18,  '64,  Wash- 
ington;  served  in  regimental  hospital,  field  hospital,  and  then  transferred  to 
Carver  Hospital,  Washington,  D.C. 

CHARLES  E.  DULEY;  age,  18;  born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  30,  '63. 

LEVI  E.  DUDLEY;  age,  19;  born,  Troy,  Vt.;  apothecary;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  3,  '63,  to  receive  promotion; 
residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

JAMES   B.    DUNN;    age,  18;   born,  W.  Cambridge,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  25,  '61;   died,  Williamsport,  Md.;   April  12,  '62.  y> 

THEODORE  L.  DUNN;  age,  2i;  born,  Boston;  civil  engineer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  Feb.  25,  '62;  mustered  out,  Dec.  18,  '62. 

PRINCE  A.    DUNTON;    age,   20;   born,  Hope,   Me.;     farmer;   mustered   in  as         _^ 
priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;   died  of  wounds  received,  July  i,  '63. 

FREEMAN  H.  DURKN;  age,  23;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '6l ;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64;  promoted  to 
Corp.,  Oct.  18,  '62,  and  sergt.,  May  I,  '63;  detailed  as  sergt.  headquarters 
guard,  May  9,  '63;  residence,  Chelsea,  Mass. 

DANA  F.  DUITON  ;  age,  29;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
sergt.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64;  was 
away  from  regiment  from  Aug.  2,  '61,  to  Oct.  8,  '63. 

ALBERT  W.  DYER;  age,  18;  born,  Medford,  Mass. ;  painter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  ser.gt.,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

N.  MAYO  DYER;  age,  22;  born,  Provincetown,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  appointed  master's  mate,  April  4,  '62;  was 
promoted  through  various  grades  until  March  12,  '68,  when  he  was  appointed 
to  the  regular  navy.  Took  part  in  the  passage  of  the  forts  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  and  the  capture  of  the  rebel  fleet.  In  Dec.,  '68,  was  commissioned 
iieut.-com.  Subsequently  was  the  recipient  of  a  medal,  and  publicly  thanked 
by  Com.  W.  R.  Taylor  for  jumping  overboard  in  a  heavy  sea  and  rescuing  a 
man  who  had  fallen  overboard  while  the  vessel  was  under  headway. 

CHARLES  EARLE  ;  ^e,  28;  born,  Prussia;  painter;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
A,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  16,  '63. 


414  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

EDMUND    G.    EASTMAN;    age,    18;    born,   Madison,   N.H.;    farmer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  n,  '62;   mustered  out,  Jan.  13,  '63. 

,  "*      OTIS   M.    EASTMAN;   age,  27;  born,  Holderness,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
ICCfft  in  as  P"v->  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  drum-major,  Feb.  17,  '63; 
'0/7    died,  April  27,  '67;    promoted  to  drum-major,  June  I,  '62;  residence,  Stone- 
ham,  Mass. 
THOMAS   B.    EATON;    age,  18;  born,  Worcester,  Mass.;   bootmaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    died,  June  I,  '62. 

CHARLES    H.    ECKENROTH  ;    age,   21;    born,   Pennsylvania;    brakeman;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  28,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
GEORGE   EDLER  ;    age,  28;   born,  Germany;    tailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  July  29,  '63;    deserted,  Oct.  23,  '63. 

WILLIAM  H.  EDMANDS  ;  age,  25;  born,  Taunton,  Mass.;  blacksmith;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  14,  '62;  mustered  out,  June  n,  '63;  resi 
dence,  Westboro',  Mass. 

JOHN   W.    EoSON  ;    age,  38;   born,  Boston;  moulder:  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  19,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,   '64;    reenlisted,  Co.   K,  4th  Mass. 
H.A. 

JOHN  ElSHMAN ;  age,  26;  born,  Prussia;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  2,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

JOHN  f .  ELMS;  age,  20  ;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B, 
July  26,  '61;  mustered  out  at  Washington,  D.C.,  July,  '64;  detailed  as 
clerk  in  adjt.-gen.'s  office,  Washington,  D.C. 

GEORGE  N.  EMERSON;  age,  18;  born,  Waltham,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  24,  '61;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  March  4,  '63;  resi 
dence,  New  York  City. 

GEORGE  F.  EMERY;  age,  19;  born,  Kendall  Mills,  Me.;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 
promoted  to  Corp.,  July  i,  '64;  residence,  Arriba,  Cal. 

"~^Jo  ABRAM  1.  ENGLISH;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  detailed  as  a  clerk  at  brig 
ade  commissary  department;  deceased. 

HENRY  EPPLE  ;  age,  24;  born,  Germany;  upholsterer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Beech  street, 
Roslindale,  Mass. 

LOUIS   ERBACK  ;    age,   24;    born,   Germany;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,   Co. 

D,  July  29,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

-4-}     ALBERT   S.    ESTES  ;    age,  24;    born,  Gorham,   Me.;   mechanic;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

DANA   ESTES;    age,  22;    born,  Gorham,  Me.;  bookseller;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,   Nov.    12,   '62;    wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
JOHN    E.    EVANS;    age,  22;  born,  England;  seaman;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  July  25,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 

ROBERT    D.    EVANS;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,    July    16,    '61;    mustered  out,    Feb.    u,   '63;    wounded,    Aug.    30,   '62; 

residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
WlLLIAM    EVANS;    age,  25;    born,  Concord,  Mass.;    brass  moulder;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  22,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  13,  '64. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  415 

JAMES    H.    EVERETT;    age,   21;    born,   Boston;    clerk;     mustered  in  as  corp., 

Co.  D,  July  16,    '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.   17,   '63;    residence,  Cambridge, 

Mass. 
N. 'STANLEY   EVERETT;    age,  19;  born,  Milton,  Mass.;  clerk;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  4,  '62;   died,  Sept.  21,  '62. 
SHEPARD   S.    EVERETT;    age,   20;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  Aug.  7,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
WlLLIAM    F.  EWELL  ;  age,  22;    born,  Brighton,  Mass.;    carpenter;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,   '61 ;   mustered  out,  Dec.  24,  '62;  wounded,  Sept. 

17,  '62. 
HENRY    EXLEY;    age,  24;  born,  Windham,  N.H.;    machinist;    mustered  in  as 

sergt.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  July  16,  '64;  wounded,  Aug.  30, 

'62;  transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Aug.,   '63;    residence,   Franklin,  Mass. 
THOMAS   M.    EXLEY;    age,  25;   born,  Windham,  N.H.;    carpenter;   mustered 

in  as  corp.,  Co.  F,  July  16,    '61;    mustered   out,   Sept.    6,    '63;    wounded  at 

Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  Washington,  D.C. 
JAMES    L.    FADKN;    age,  22;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D, 

Aug.  4,  '62;  mustered  out,  Jan.  24,  '63. 
EUGENE    L.    FAIRBANKS;    age,    21;    born,   Lincoln,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Feb.  II,  '63. 
HENRY   A.    FAIRBANKS;  age,    18;     born,     Shrewsbury,    Mass.;     shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   K,  July   16,    '61 ;    mustered   out,   April   23,   '63; 

wounded  at  Antietam;  afterwards  served  ninety  days  in  6th  Unattached  Co. 

Militia;  residence,  Waltham,  Mass. 
HOLLIS    H.    FAIRBANKS;   age,    18;     born,     Shrewsbury,    Mass.,     bootmaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Bull  Run. 
JOSEPH    H.    FAIRBANKS;    age,  18;   born,  Winchester,  N. II.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
JOSEPH    H.    FAIRBANKS;    age,    55;    born,   Shrewsbury,   Mass.;    sleigh-maker;        __ 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l ;    mustered  out,  Warrenton  Junction,    •***—) 

May  10,  '62;   died,  June  16,  '75. 

SANFORD    FAIRBANKS;    age,    33;   born,    Waltham,    Mass.;     shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  28,  '61 ;   deserted,  Aug.  23,  '61. 
WlLLIAM   P.    FARQUERSON;    age,  18;   born,  Boston;    cooper;    mustered   in   as        (. 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  May  8,  '64. 
GEORGE   A.    FARRAR;    age,  2i;   born,    Boston;    letter-carrier;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  29,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
LUTHER    F.    FAVOUR;    age,  23;    born,  Natick,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as      -r->^ 

priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '6l;    died  of  wounds  received,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
CHARLES   M.    FAY;    age,    17;   born,    Montague,  Mass.;    laborer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  July  16,  '61;    wounded  accidentally  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Sept.,    '61 ; 

wounded  at   Gettysburg,  July  I,   '63;    taken   prisoner,  Spottsylvania  Court- 
House,  May  21,  '64,  and  held  until  Nov.  25,  '64;    afterwards  reenlisted  in 
Hancock's  V.R.C.  for  one  year;    residence,  Westboro',  Mass. 
JOHN   S.    FAY;    age,   21;    born,  Marlboro',    Mass.;    farmer;     mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergeant,  Sept.  9,  '63;    lost  right 
arm  and  right  leg,  April  30,  '63;    taken  prisoner,  June    15,  '63,  and  sent  to 
Libby  prison,  July  I, '63;  released,  July  17,  '63;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
WlLLIAM    W.    PAY;    age,  25;    born,    Bernardstown,    Mass.;    bootmaker;    imis-      O\ 


416  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Dec.  18,  '62;  wounded 
at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  appointed  2cl  lieut.,  three  months'  troops,  May 
4,  '64;  appointed  2d  lieut.,  Co.  E,  4th  11. A.;  mustered  out,  June,  '65; 
died  November,  '93. 

IRA  H.  FELCH  ;  age,  18;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  H,  March  7,  '62;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64;  resi 
dence,  Natick,  Mass. 

LEON  FELINSKI ;  age,  27;  born,  Poland;  watchmaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  Aug.  5,  '63;  transferred,  July  I4th,  to  39th  Inf. 

NAPOLEON  B.  FELLOWS;  age,  38;  born,  Hanover,  H.N.; carpenter;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  25,  '62;  mustered  out,  Feb.  13,  '65. 

JOHN   S.    FELTON  ;    age  20;   born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  musician,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  17,  '62. 

— 1^>    SlMEON   B.    FENDERSON ;    age,   29;    born,   Parsonfield,  Me.;    carpenter;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  2,  '62;    deceased. 

CHARLES    H.    FERNALD;    age,    18;    born,    Houlton,   Me.;    printer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  July  24,  '62. 
'   *>     PAUL   E.    FlEDLER;    age,  24;    born,  Annaberg,  Germany;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  corp.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62,  Bull  Run. 
•.      T)     EDWIN    FlELD;    nge,   20;    born,   Chelsea,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  July  I,  '63. 

/.^      THOMAS   C.    FIELD;    age,    18;    born,    Lisbon,    Me.;    student;    mustered   in   as 
corp.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    died,  Dec.  13,  '62. 

WlLLIAM  A.  FIELD;  age,  26;  born,  Quincy,  Mass.;  quarryman;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  25,  '62. 

JOHN  FlNK  ;  age,  26;  born,  Poland;  bartender;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B, 
July  24,  '63;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

HUGH  FlNNEGAN  ;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  musteied  in  as  priv., 
Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  deserted. 

CHARLES  FlSCHER  ;  age,  26;  born,  Germany;  butcher;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  Aug.  5,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  5,  '63. 

JAMES  F.  PISH;  age,  28;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  24,  '61;  dropped  from  the  rolls  Sept.  I,  '62,  his  where 
abouts  being  unknown. 

ANDREW  J.  FiSHER;  age,  22;  born,  Island  of  St.  Helena;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  27,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

DAVID  F.  FlSKE  ;  age,  25;  born,  Dedham,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  H,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  3,  '63. 

EBEN   W.    FlSKE;    age,  38;  dentist;  mustered  in  as  capt.,  Co.  G.July   16, '61; 

resigned,  Dec.  29,  '62. 

—    t—^    EDGAR   A.    FlSKE;    age,  25;   born,  Millbury,  Mass. ;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '6l;    promoted  to  sergeant;    killed,  July,  '63. 

EUGENE  A.  FlSKE  ;  age,  18;  born,  Hooksett,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  12,  '64. 

JOHN  S.  FlSKE  ;  age,  23;  born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  trader;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;  killed,  July  i,  '63. 

JOSEPH  FlSKE  ;  age,  34;  born,  Johnston,  R.I.;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  417 

JOSHUA   W.    FlSKE  ;    age,  26;    born,  Newton,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

aspriv.,  Co.  A,  July  24,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Hollis- 

ton,  Mass. 
MICHAEL   A.    FITZGERALD  ;    age,  21;  born,  Middletown,  Ireland;  bootmaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,Co.  A,  April 4,  '62;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  39th  Inf.; 

residence,  Pittsfield,  Mass. 
MlCHAEI,   FITZPATRICK  ;    age,    21;    born,    Canada;    spinner;     mustered    in   as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  25,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 
JOHN   FlTZSIMMONS  ;    age,   22;  born,  Boston;    carriage-maker;    mustered  in  as     ~v"J 

priv.,    Co.    H,  July  25,    '62;    mustered    out,    Aug.    I,    '64;    wounded,  May        r 

8,  '64.  • 
HENRY    L.    FLAGG;    age,  31;   born,   Ashland,   Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  II,  March  5,  '62;    mustered  out,  Feb.  20,  '63. 
EDWARD   S.    FLETCHER;    age,  20;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  II,  July  7,  '62;   mustered  out,  Dec.  n,  '63. 
JOHN    FLYE  ;    age,  29;   born,  New  Portland,   Me.;    blacksmith;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  July    16,    '6l;    died   of  wounds   received    at    Gettysburg,  July    . 

26,  '63. 
PETER    FLYNN;    age,    26;   born,    Ireland;     shoemaker;     mustered  in   as  priv.,         i 

Co.  I,  July  16,  '6l;    killed,  Aug.  30,    '62. 
JOHN   H.    FOLEY  ;    age,  23;   mustered  in  as   2d   lieut.,  Co.   G,   July   16,  '61; 

mustered  out,  March  29,  '63;    promoted  to  1st  lieut.,  July  26,  '62;    wounded 

Dec.  13,  '62;   afterwards  served  as  2d  lieut.  in  Mass.  H.A. 
JOHN     FOLEY;    age,    26;    born,   Ireland;     stereotyper;    mustered  in    as   priv., 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  musician,  Nov.  4,  '62;  wounded,  Sept. 

17,  '62. 
JAMES    L.    FORBES;    age,    21;    born,    Dublin,    Ire.;    theatre;    mustered    in  as     T\    / a Q ( 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  was  discharged  by  War  Department  in  '63.          '~>v/    '  '  /  , 
GEORGE    FRED.    FORD;    age,  19;   born,   Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  aspriv., 

Co.  A,  Aug.  16,   '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,   '64;    was  detailed  as  clerk  at 

headquarters;   residence,  Carson  City,  Nevada. 
JOHN    C.    FORD;     age,    25;    born,   Litchfield,  Me.;    cabinet-maker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,   Dec.   5,   '62,  on  account  of 

wounds  received  at  Thoroughfare  Gap,  Aug.  28,  '62. 
GEORGE    FORKE;    age,  25;  born,  Germany;    waiter;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

G,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
CHARLES    FORREST;   age,  21;  born,  New  Brunswick;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Oct.  22,  '63. 
HENRY    M.    FOSS  ;  age,    19;    born,  Reading,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

aspriv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Jan.   26,  '63;    wounded,  Sept. 

17,  '62. 
EUGENE    FOSTER;    age,  23;  born,  Winthrop,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  July  15,  '64;    transferred  to  Co.  I),  22d 

Regt.,  V.R.C.;   residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
HENRY    FOSTER;     age,   21;    born,   Scotland;   seaman;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  24,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
OLIVER   M.    FOSTER;  age,  41;   born,  Boston;  conductor;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  24,  '63. 
WILLIAM    E.  FOSTER;  age,   31;    born,    Bristol,    Me.;    sailor;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 


418  THESE    YEAES    IN    THE    AEMY. 

WALTER   S.    FOWLER;  age,  19;    born,  Dedham,  Mass.;    machinist;    mustered 

in  ns  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  6,   '62;   mustered  out,    Sept.    15,    '63;    wounded  at 

Antietam,    Sept.    17,    '62;    appointed   2d    lieut.,   Co.   F,   5th  Mass.    Regt.; 

detailed    from    5th   to   command   garrison  at  Fort  Canal,   Md.;    residence, 

New  York  City. 
CHARLES    BARNARD    Fox;  age,  28;  born,  Newburyport,  Mass.;  freight  agent; 

mustered  in  as  2d  lieut.,  Co.   K,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out  as   1st  lieut., 

Dec.,   '62;    promoted  to   1st  lieut.,   Aug.    16,    '62;    appointed  1st  lieut.,  2d 
Vy  Mass.  Cavalry,  Dec.  I,  '62;  maj.,  55th  Mass.,  June  I,  '63;    lieut. -col.,  Dec. 

I,  '63;    brev.  col.,  U.S.  Vols.,  March  13,  '65;    residence,  Boston. 
r)        JAMES   A.    POX;   age,  34;  lawyer;  mustered  in  as  capt.,  July  16,  '61;  resigned, 

Aug.  14,  '62;    residence,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
THOMAS   FOX  ;   age,  24;   born,  Ireland;   laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A, 

July  27,  '63;    mustered  out,  Nov.  27,  '63. 
JOHN    FRANCIS;   age,  25;    born,  Azore  Islands;   seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  28,  '63;    mustered  out,  April  18,  '64,  to  enlist  in  navy. 
WARREN    H.    FREEMAN;   age,  18;   born,  Boston;   clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  at  'Williamsport,  Md.,  Dec.  I,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Sept.  15, 

'64;    promoted    corp.,    March    I,   '63;    sergt.,    July   i,   '64;    transferred    to 

39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64;    residence,  580  Congress  street,  Chicago. 
ALFRED   FRENCH;  age,  36;   born,  Boston;   cook;   mustered  in  as   priv.,  Co. 

F,  Sept.  5,  '62;    transferred,  Dec.  2,  '63,  to  V.R.C. 
WILLIAM  H.    FRETTS;    age,  27;   born,  Hebron,  N.H.;   shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,   Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
EDWIN   R.    FROST;   age,  24;    salesman;   mustered  in  as  2d  lieut.,  July  16,  '61, 

mustered  out  as  2d  lieut.,  July  22,  '62;    residence,  Boston. 
JOSEPH    D.    FROST;  age,  31;   born,  Framingham,  Mass;  shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Feb.  12,  '62;    mustered  out,  June  18,  '63. 
SYLVESTER    FROST;  age,  18;   born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence, 

Natick,  Mass. 
WlLLIAM    S.    FROST;    age,  20;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  July  20,  '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.  i,  '62;    wounded  at  2d  Bull  Run;    res 
idence,  Lynn,  MasV 
JAMES   B.    FULLER;    age,  20;    mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '61;  mustered 

out,  Aug.  31,  '62. 
r^      JOHN   T.    FULLER;    age,  22;    born,  Waldo  Co.,  Me.;    carpenter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    drowned  in  Shenandoah  river,  June  6,  '62. 
SAMUEL  E.  FULLER;    age,  22;  born,  Sunderland,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,   Co.   F,  July  16,   '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,   '64;    detailed  as 

nurse  in  hospital  from  Sept.,  '61;    taken  prisoner  June  30,   '63. 
WILLIAM  H.  FURBUSH  ;  age,  18;  born,  Westboro',  Mass.;  sleigh-maker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July   16,    '61;    transferred  to  regular  army,  Jan., 

'63;    died,  Jan.  18,  '81. 
JOSEPH   A.    GAGE;    age,   22;    born,   Pelham,    N.H.;    hatter;    mustered  in    as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;    mustered  out,  July  19,  '64;    transferred  to  Co. 

H,  24th  Regt.,  V.R.C.  from  King-street  hospital,  Alexandria,  Aug.,  '62. 
WlLLIAM    H.    GAGE;    age,   21;    born,   Pelham,   N.H.;    hatter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,   '61;    died  at  Baltimore,  of  wounds  received  July   I, 

'63- 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  419 

GEORGE  \V.   GALEJ    age,  24;   born,  Bristol,  N.H.;   shoemaker;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;   died  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam. 
LVMAN    H.    GALEJ    age,   29;   born,   Marlboro',  Mass.;    shoemaker;   mustered     xTx 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  31,  '62;   taken  prisoner,  Aug.  30,  '62;    deceased. 
GEORGE    E.    GARDINER;    age,  21;    born,  Lynn,  N.  II.;    teamster;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  March  I,  '62;   mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Dec.  5,  '62. 
CHARLKS   R.    GARDNER;   age,  23;  born,  Boston;  pianoforte  maker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,   '64;    promoted  to 

corp.,  Dec.  5,  '62;   residence,  60  Alpine  street,  Boston,  Mass. 
SAMUEL     H.    GARFIELD;    age,   18;   born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.  22,  '62;  died,  May  20,  - 

'91. 
rEl'ER   GARVEV  ;    age,    19;    born,   South  Ireland;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  wounded,  July  3,  '63. 
rOSTER   \\  .   GASSEIT  ;    age,  28;   mustered  in  as  musician,  July  20,  '61;   mus 
tered  out,  Aug.  31,  '62. 
THOMAS   R.    GASSETT;    age,  21;    born,  Hopkinton,  Mass.;    bootmaker;  priv.  »"7— v 

Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;    killed,  Sept.  17,  '62,  at  Antietam. 

WILLIAM    H.    GASSETT;    age,  18;    born,  Hopkinton,  Mass.;  bootmaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  23,  '63;  wounded 

at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;    residence,  Hartford,  Conn. 
GEORGE   H.    GATES;    age,  28;    born,  Cambridge,  N.Y.;    brewer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   K,    July    16,    '61;    mustered    out,    Aug.    I,    '64;     residence, 

Brooklyn,  N.V. 
I.    G.    GATES;    age,  22;  born,  Shelburne,  N.H.;  printer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
ABRAHAM    F.    GAY;    age,   34;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  ¥,  March  17,  '62;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
ALMER   H.   GAY;    age,  27;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

Corp.,  Co.  F,  July   17,    :6i;    mustered   out,    May  21,  '62,  Carver  Hospital; 

residence,  Washington,  D.C. 
JOHN    GAY;    age,  18;  born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered   in  as  priv.,  Co.   E,   July 

26,    '61;  deserted,  Aug.  23,  '61. 
NOAH    M.    GAYLORD  ;  age,  37;  clergyman;    mustered  in  as  chaplain,  July  16, 

'6l;  mustered  out,  March  12,  '63,  to  accept  position  of  post-chaplain  Camp-     -    £j 

bell  Hospital,  Washington;  deceased. 
GERHART    GENTNER  ;   age,  33;    born,   Germany;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Aug.  13,  '61;  deceased. 
GEORGE    GERING;    age,  32;    born,   Baden,  Ger.;    machinist;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Jan.  15,  '63,  Boston. 
MARTIN   GERITY  ;  age,  26;    born,   Ireland;    laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  May  5,  '64. 
CHARLES    E.    GERROLD  ;    age,  21;  born,  Gloucester,  Mass.;  printer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  sergt.,  April  27,  '63. 
MICHAEL  J.    GiBLINJ    age,  21;  born,  England;    painter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  20,  '63;   deserted,  May  5,  '64. 
JAMES   GiBSON;    age,  24;    born,  Scotland;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as  sergt.,         ^^7 


420  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

July  16,  '61;  resigned,  Nov.  9,  '63;  promotions:  2d  lieut.,  April  j,  '63;   1st 
lieut.,  59th  Mass.,  Nov.  9,  '63. 

JOHN  J.  GlBSON;  age,  30;  born,  Nova  Scotia;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  24,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  23,  '64. 

WILLIAM  P.  GIFFORD;  age,  39;  born,  Danvers,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  25,  '63;  deserted,  Dec.  I,  '63. 

AUSTIN  GlLL;  age,  19;  born,  Worcester,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  31,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  28,  '65;  wounded,  June  20, 
'64. 

SAMUEL  W.    GiLMAN;    age,    26;   born,  Boston;    shoemaker;     mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  July  12,  '63. 

l^rt>'~3)  WM<    H.    GIVEN;    age,  32;    born,  Boston;    mason;    mustered   in   as  priv.,   Co. 
E,  July  26,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

JOSEPH  S.  GLAZIER;  age,  19;  born,  Cambridgeport,  Mass.;  butcher;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  12,  '63;  wounded, 
Aug.  30,  '62. 

JAMES  M.  GLEASON;  age,  17;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  musician,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  resi 
dence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 

JOHN  GLIDDEN  ;  age,  22;  born,  Alton,  N.H.;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Marlboro', 
Mass. 

JOHN  GOLDEN;  age,  25;  born,  Germany;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
C,  July  17,  '63;  deserted,  April  25, -'64. 

SANFORD  K.  GOLDSMITH;  age,  19;  born,  Milton,  N. II.;  clerk;  musteredin 
as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  6,  '64;  commissioned  1st. 
lieut.,  59th  Mass.;  residence,  Andover,  Mass. 

^O!^>    THEODORE   H.    GOODNOW;    age,  18;   born,  Stowe,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    died  of   wounds  received   May  5,  '64. 

JOHN  Y.  GOODRICH;  age,  19;  born,  Ware,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  April  '62,  de 
tailed  as  clerk  at  headquarters;  taken  prisoner,  Oct.,  '63,  and  exchanged 
in  March,  '64,  when  returned  to  Fifth  Corps  headquarters  as  clerk. 

ELLERY  E.  GOODWIN;  age,  18;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 
Marlboro',  Mass. 

HENRY  E.  GORDON;  age,  23;  born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Feb.  17,  '63;  residence,  3 
Tremont  street,  Charlestown,  Mass. 

LEROY  GOTT;  age,  24;  born,  England;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
A,  Aug.  5,  '63;  mustered  out,  April  18,  '64,  to  enlist  in  navy. 

SAMUEL   GOUGGENHEIMER  ;    age,  21;   born,   France;   butcher;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  29,  '63;   transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

•~-J^>  FRANK  A.  GOULD;  age,  20;  born,  Clinton,  Mass.;  mechanic;  musteredin  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettsyburg,  July 
I,  '63- 

7"^  JACOB  PARKER  GOULD  ;  age,  30;  civil  engineer;  mustered  in  as  major,  July 
16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  col.  59th  Regt.,  April  21,  '64;  died  of  wounds  re 
ceived  in  front  of  Petersburg  while  col.  59th  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  421 


ORATOR   GOULD;    age,  18;   born,  Stoneham,    Mass.;    farmer;    mustered   in   as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '6l;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
SAMUEL  S.   GOULD  ;   age,    19;   born,   Boston;   student;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  Aug.  15,  '62;   killed,  Sept.    17,  '62. 
ZlBEON   HOOKER   GOULD  ;  ago,   22;    born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  19,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 

Natick,  Mass. 
GEORGE   O.    GRADV  ;  age,  23;    born,  Nantucket,  Mass.;    currier;    mustered  in 

as  Corp.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence, 

Marlboro',  Mass. 
LOUIS   E.    GRANGER;  age,   20;    born,   Hardwick,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '6l;   mustered  out,  March  22,  '63. 
DANIEL   B.    GRAY;  age,  23;    born,  Broomfield,  Me.;    powder  merchant;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  31,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded, 

Dec.  13,  '62. 
JOHN  '1.    B.    GREEN;   age,  18;    born,  Boston;  teamster;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  31,  '62;    reenlisted,  Jan.  4,  '64;    wounded,  June  20,  '64;    resi 

dence,  Charlestown,  Mass. 
JOHN   W.    GREEN  ;  age,  23;  born,  England;    blacksmith;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  27,  '61;   mustered  out,  March  14,  '63. 
MICHAEL  J.    GREEN  ;    age,    30;    born,    Ireland;    carpenter;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   transferred  to  navy,  Feb.  14,  '62. 
ORNE   GREEN  ;   age,  23;  born,  Melrose,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Reading,  Mass. 
SAMUEL  L.   GREEN;   age,  21;   born,  Medford,  Mass.;    foreman    Maiden    car 

stables;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Feb.  13,  '62;    mustered  out,  Dec.    19, 

'62;    wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62;    residence,  Maiden,  Mass. 
LEONARD   F.   GREENE;  age,  29;  born,  Bedford,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Nov.  i,  '62. 
\\ILLIAM    B.    GREENE;    age,  26;   born,  Manchester,  Eng.;    painter;    mustered 

in   as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.   i,   '64;   residence, 

Natick,  Mass. 
AARON    HOBART   GREENWOOD;    age,  20;    born,   Hubbardston,  Mass.;    clerk; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July   16,  '6l;    mustered  out,   Feb.  14,   '63,  on 

account  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam. 
ABNER   R.    GREENWOOD;    age,  20;   born,  Ashland,  Mass.;    bootmaker;    mus- 

tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Oct.  27,  '63;   badly 

wounded  at  Antietam;    residence,  Bedford,  Ind. 
ALFRED   GREENWOOD;    age,  20;   born,  Boston;    dentist;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Dec.  I,  '62. 
GILBERT   H.   GREENWOOD;    age,  22;     born,    Gardner,    Mass.;    chairmaker; 

mustered  in    as  priv.,    Co.   D,  July   16,   '61;    promoted    to  corp.;    died   of 

wounds  received  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness. 
WlLLIAM  A.   GRIDLEY;   age,  18;   born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   deserted    April    n,    '63;     residence,    Boston,  Mass. 
SAMUEL   H.    GRIFFIN':    age,  22;    born,  Poland,  Me.;    carpenter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;    wounded,  July  i, 

'63- 


422  THREE     YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

/9A(     JOHN   W.   GRUBB  ;    age,  29;    born,  Boston;    upholsterer;    mustered  in  as  priv., 
/  U '  Co.  D,  July  20,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  Maiden,  Mass. 

AMOS   L.    GuSHEE  j    age,  25;   born,  Appleton,  Me.;   shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  corp.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.  3,  '62. 
GEORGE  GUSTAVE;   age,  22;  born,  Sweden;   seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  28,  '63;    mustered  out,  Jan.  4,  '64. 

HENRY  M.  HADLEY  ;  age,  20;  born,  East  Cambridge,  Mass.;  morocco- 
dresser;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i, 

'64. 
SAMUEL   P.    HADLEY,   JR.;    age,  18;  born,  East  Cambridge,  Mass.;  morrocco- 

dresser;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July   16,    '61;    mustered  out   as   sergt., 

Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  July  I,  '63. 
JOHN    HAGGERTY  ;    age,  22;    born,   England;    seaman;    mustered   in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  24,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
\i>\\    P.    II  \M   :    age,  24;    born,  Groton,  N.H.;    shoemaker;    mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
GEO.    W.    HALL  ;    age,  21;  born,  Boston;    mariner;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

K,  Aug.  1 8,  '62;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July,  '64;    taken  prisoner,  July 

I,  '63,  Gettysburg;  mustered  out,  June  30,  '65. 
JERE.    M.    HALL;    age,    18;    born,   Somerville,    Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  19,  '62;  residence,  Maiden, 

Mass. 

JOSEPH  HALSTRICK,  JR.;  age,  19;  born,  Boston,  Mass.;  silversmith;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  23,  '63; 

wounded    at    Manassas,    Aug.    30,    '62;    residence,    65  W.   Canton  street, 

Boston. 
HENRY   A.    HAM;    age,  28;  born,  England;    porter;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  July  27,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

HENRY  A.  HAM;  age,  26;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D, 
July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  9,  '62. 

ORREN  A.  HAMBLETT;  age,  23;  born,  Dracut,  Mass.;  clothing  manufact 
urer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  25,  '62; 
residence,  Mason,  N.H. 

-^£>WlLLIAM  ALLEN  HANSCOM;  age,  27;  born,  Lewiston,  Me.;  dry-goods 
dealer;  mustered  in  as'priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  7, 
'63;  promoted  to  1st  lieut.  in  79th  U.S.  Colored  Troops;  died  while  in  the 
service. 

JOHN   HANSON;    age,    21;   born,  Canada;    seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv.,   Co. 

F,  July  27,  '63;    transferred,  April  22,  '64,  to  navy. 
THOMAS    HANSON;    age,  27;   born,  Prussia;    sailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,   Co. 

B,  July  22,  '63;    deserted,  Nov.  26,    63. 

GEORGE   HAPPLETON;    age,    22;     born,    England;     butcher;    mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  23,  '63;   April  14,  '64,  transferred  to  navy. 

•«^I_>  GEORGE   C.    HARADEN;    age,  18;    born,  Westboro',  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    died,  Dec.  22,  '61. 

JOHN  HARDY;  age,  22;  born,  France;  cook;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D, 
July  18,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 

AUGUSTINE  HARLOW;  age,  28;  mustered  in  as  capt.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61; 
resigned,  captain,  Aug.  3,  '63;  deceased. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  428 

AUGUSTUS   HARPER'    age,  23;   born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  16,  '63. 
JAMES    L.    HARR1MAN  ;    age,   29;    surgeon;  mustered   in   as  assistant  surgeon, 

Aug.  i,  '62;   mustered  out,  Feb.  3,  '63. 

FRANK   A.    HARRINGTON;    age,    18;     born,    Boston,    Mass.;    mechanic;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  July  20,  '64;  deceased. 
GRANVILLE    H.    HARRIS;     age,     20;     born,    Lancaster,    Mass.;    shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Nov.  26,  '62,  Trin 
ity  General  Hospital,  Washington,  D.C. 
HENRY   A.    HARRIS;    age,  21;    born,  Haverhill,  Mass.;    printer;    mustered   in, 

as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  23,  '61;    mustered  out,   March   7,   '63;    commissioned/)  ^yg/  £-  Ji 
as  2d  lieut.,  Sad  U.S.  Colored  Troops,  March  7,  '63;    1st  lieut.,  Jan.  29, 
'64;    capt.,  Aug.,  '64;    final  muster  out,  Sept.  7,  '66;    residence,  Lawrence, 
Mass. 
JAMES   HARRIS;    age,    21;    born,  New  York  City;   moulder;   mustered  in   as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  28,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 
JOHN    HART;    age,  26;    born,  England;    bookbinder;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  29,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  20,  '63. 

SlMON    t.    HARTFORD;     age,  2i;    born,  Lancaster,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.    I,    '64; 
promoted   to  corp.,  July  I,  '64;    detailed  as  clerk  at  headquarters,  Oct.   21, 
'63,  and  served  in  that  capacity  the  remainder  of  the  term. 
GEORGE  E.    HARTWELL;    age,    17;   born,  Shirley,   Mass.;   farmer;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  July  18,  '62;    deceased. 
';  GEORGE  E.  HARTWELL ;   age,   38;   born,  West  Boylston,    Mass.;   carpenter; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  14,  '62;    mustered  out,  Jan.  9,  '63;  badly/ 
wounded  at  Antietam;   residence,  Westboro',  Mass.    Q-otAx_^  ^ J  .   /  Cf/T~o 
,-'L/YMAN   HASKELL;    age,   23;   born,   Westboro',  Mass.;    bootmaker;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    wounded,  May 
5,  '64;   residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 

SETH  G.  HASKELL;  age,  31;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  trader;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Hud 
son,  Mass. 

ABEL   B.    HASTINGS;     age,    18;   born,   Marlboro',    Mass.;     shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  wounded, 
Aug.    30,    '62,   and  taken   prisoner   at    Gettysburg;     residence,   Marlboro', 
Mass. 
FRANCIS   W.    HASTINGS;     age,     21;     born,    Marlboro',    Mass.;     shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '6l;    deserted,  Sept.  28,  '63. 
FRANK   B.    HASTINGS;    age,  18;   born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  20,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    wounded,  July  3, 
'63;   residence,  in  the  State  of  Oregon. 

GEORGE   H.    HASTINGS;    age,    19;   born,   Roxbury,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 
in    as    priv.,  Co.  D,  July  22,  '6l;    mustered    out,   Aug.    I,   '64;    residence, 
Boston,  Mass. 
CHARLES    HAWKINS;    age,  29;   born,  Scotland;    seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  24,  '63;   deserted,  Nov.  28,  '63. 

CHARLES  HAYES;  age,  21;  born,  Connecticut;  gilder;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  25,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  28,  '63. 


424  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


EDMUND  P.  HAYES  4  age,  iS;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  Feb.  24,  '62;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Inf.;  died  of  wounds 
received  while  in  the  I3th  Mass. 

EPHRAIM  HAYES;  age,  44;  born,  Milton,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Jan.  20,  '63. 

HENRY  HAYES  j  age,  19;  born,  Farmington,  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  24,  '62. 

SYLVESTER  A.  HAYES;  age,  33;  born,  Milton,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  July  I,  '63. 

CHARLES  E.  HAYNES;  age,  24;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded  at  Ma- 
nassas,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62,  and  at  Spottsylvania,  May, 
'64;  residence,  Sudbury,  Mass. 

LEANDER  A.  HAYNES;  age,  27;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

SAMUEL  M.  HAYNES;  age,  28;  born,  Wayland,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Jan.  6,  '63, 
Philadelphia;  promoted  to  corp.,  Aug.  17,  '61;  enlisted  in  the  59th  Mass., 
Dec.,  '63;  wounded,  Sept.  30,  '64;  residence,  Hudson,  Mass. 

•—  -£l>  ALBERT  A.  HAZELTINE;  age,  24;  born,  Springfield,  -Mass.;  painter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  Aug.  7,  '62;  died,  Nov.  15,  '62,  of  wounds  re 
ceived  at  Manassas. 

GEORGE  R.  HEALY;  age,  24;  born,  Weymouth,  Mass.;  blacksmith; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  died,  Dec.  5>  '62. 

WARREN  M.  HEALY;  age,  22;  born,  Weymouth,  Mass.;  carriage  trim.; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61  ;  mustered  out,  Nov.  22,  '62. 

J.  THEODORE  HEARD;  age,  25;  born,  Boston;  physician;  mustered  in  as 
asst.-surg.,  July  16,  '61  ;  mustered  out  as  surg.,  Oct.  25,  '65;  pro 
moted  to  surg.,  U.S.  Vols.,  May  I,  '62;  brevetted  lieut.-col.,  March 
13,  '65;  May  I,  '62,  assigned  as  brig,  surg.,  1st  Brig.,  2d  Div.,  1st 
A.C.  (then  Duryea's  brigade  of  McDowell's  Corps);  Oct.  28,  '62, 
assigned  as  surg.  -in-chief,  2d  Div.,  1st  A.C.;  Nov.  10,  '62,  assigned 
as  medical  director  of  the  1st  Corp,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  commanded  by 
Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds,  remaining  in  that  position  until  the  1st  Corps  was 
consolidated  with  the  5th  Corps  under  Gen.  Warren,  March  23,  '64;  March 
25,  '64,  assigned  as  surg.  -in-chief  of  artillery  reserve,  Army  of  the  Potomac; 
April  30,  '64,  assigned  as  medical  director,  4th  Corps,  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land;  promoted  to  lieut.-col.  by  act  of  Congress  (dated  Feb.  25,  '65),  March 
^j:  13,  '65;  residence,  20  Louisburg  square,  Boston. 

WALTER  S.  C.  HEATH;  age,  29;  born,  Cornwall,  Canada;  watchmaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  2,  '62;  reported  deserter,  March,  '64. 

HENRY  J.  A.  HEBARD  ;  age,  18;  born,  Norwich,  Conn.;  engineer;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  29,  '61;  transferred  as  corp.,  July  14,  '64,  to 
39th  Inf.;  wounded,  July  I,  '63;  residence,  Alameda,  Cal. 

ROBERT  B.  HENDERSON;  age,  26;  born,  Portsmouth,  N.H.;  clerk;  mus 
tered  in  as  sergt.,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out  as  ist  lieut.,  Aug.  I,  '64; 
wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  taken  prisoner  while  in  hospital,  and 
paroled  by  surgeon  in  charge;  promoted  to  2d  lieut.,  Jan.  10,  '63;  to  1st 
lieut.,  Aug.  4,  '63;  acting  adjutant  of  the  regiment  from  April,  '63,  to 
March,  '64,  when  he  was  ordered,  on  account  of  wounds,  to  report  at  draft 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  425 

rendezvous  in  Boston    Harbor,  serving   there    as    asst. -quartermaster    until 

mustered  out;   residence,   12  Beacon  street,  Boston. 
\\ILLIAM    HENDERSON;    age,   24;    born,    Ireland;    laborer;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  25,  '63;   deserted,  April  26,  '64. 
WILLIAM   A.    HENDERSON;    age,   18;    born,   Boston;    plumber;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;   deserted,  Aug.  23,  '61. 
WlLLIAM    HENSCHEL;    age,  32;    born,   Prussia;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  Aug.  4,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  26,  '63. 
ALBERT   K.    HENTZ;    age,    20;    born,   Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  March  4,  '63;   wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62, 

Manassas;    residence,  Boston. 
MARTIN    HICKEY;    age,   22;   born,  New  Brunswick;    seaman;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  24,  '63;   mustered  out,  March   19,  '64. 
DAVID    f.    HlCKS;    age,    24;    born,    Roxbury,    Mass.;    clerk;    mustered   in   as 

corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    promoted  to  ist  lieut.,  2d  U.S.  Colored  Troops, 

March  7,  '63;   resigned,  Jan.  22,  '64;  residence,  Lawton,  Mich. 
MARTIN   HIGGINS;    age,  21;   born,  Ireland;    laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  Aug.  4,  '63;   deserted,  Oct.  22,  '63. 
SAMUEL  A.   HiLDRETH  ;   age,  28;   born,  Newton,  Mass;    carpenter;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  Bos 
ton,  Mass. 
CHARLES     HILL;    age,    25;    born,   New  York;    calker;    mustered   in  as   priv., 

Co.  C,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Sept.  17,  '63. 
GEO.    H.    HlLL;    age,   20;    born,    Portsmouth,    N.H.;    clerk;    mustered   in  as 

priv.,  July  16,  '61;    promoted  to  corp.,  '63;  taken  prisoner,  May  I,  '64,  and 

sent  to  Andersonville;   address,  79  Franklin  street,  Boston. 
JOHN    M.    HlLL;    age,    32;    born,  Worcester,   Mass.;  bootmaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,    Co.   K,   Feb.    17,    '62;  mustered  out,   39th  Mass.,    Feb.   20,  '65; 

promoted  to  corp.,  Nov.    I,   '63;    surrendered    warrant  to  accept   detail  at 

headquarters  as  mounted  pioneer;   transferred  to  39th  Mass.;  mustered  out, 

Feb.  17,  '65;  residence,  Spencer,   Mass. 
EDWIN    F.     HlLLMAN ;    age,  23;    born,    Livermore,    Me.;  carpenter;  mustered  /^ 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  9,  '62;  deceased. 
JAMES    M.    HILTON  ;    age,  22;   born,  Newport,  Me.;  shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.   23,  '62. 
WlLLIAM   M.    HiLTON;   age,  23;   born,  Wiscasset,  Me.;  painter;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,    Feb.    13,    '62;    transferred  to  39th   Mass.,  July  15,    '64; 

residence,  Medford,  Mass. 

SAMUEL  S.    HINCKLEV  ;   age,   19;   born,  E.  Bridgewater,   Mass.;  clerk;   mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   A,  July  16,  '61 ;  transferred  to  Y.R.C.  as  sergt. -major, 

July  i,  '63;  residence,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
LLOYD   W.    HlXON  ;    age,  34;    born,  Great  Falls,  N.H.;  physician;    mustered 

in  as  asst.  surg.,  March  21,  '63;  mustered   out  as  asst.  surg.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 

residence,  Newburyport,  Mass. 
WlLLIAM   J.    HOBBS  ;     age,  28;   born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
Kl.IAS   O.  HODGE  ;    age,   23;    born,   Marlow,  N..H.;   leather-cutter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,    '61;    mustered  out  as   corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    pro 
moted  to  corp.,  April  5,  '63;    taken   prisoner,  July  I,  '63;    exchanged,  May 

I,  '64;    rejoined  regiment,  June  6,  '64;    residence,  Detroit,  Mich. 


426  THREE    YEAES    IN    THE    ARMY. 

HlRAM   G.    HODGKINS;    age,  24;  horn,  Waterville,  Vt.;    boot-treer;  mustered 

in   as  corp.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered   out,    Aug.    I,    '64;    detailed  in 

Q.M.  Dept.  after  Aug.  2,  '62;    residence,  Leonie,  Nebraska. 
EDWARD    HOLBROOK  ;    age,  22;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July   16,  '61;  de 

serted,   July  30,  '61. 
SlLAS    P.    HOLBROOK;     age,    28;    born,   Dorchester,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    clerk  at  h-ndquarters,  1st  and  5th  A.C.; 

promoted  to   2d  lieut.,  45th  U.S.  Colored  Troops,   Sept.   6,  '64;  mustered 

out    as    2d    lieut.,   451)1   U.S.    Colored    Troops,    April  25,    '65;     residence, 

Dorchester,  Mass. 
HENRY   A.   HOLDEN;    age,    19;   born,  Quincy,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
HOLLIS    HOLDEN;    age,    44;     born,  Newfanc,    Vt.;    farmer:    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  n,  '62;    killed,  Sept.  17,  '62,  at  Antiutam. 
CHARLES    E.    HOLDER;      age,    18;    born,    Marlboro',    Mass.;    farmer;     mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  June  12,  '62. 
LOUIS   P.  HOLLANDER;    nge,  20;   born,  New  York  City;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  D,  Tuly  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  2,  '62;    residence,  Somer- 

ville,  Mass. 
"T>s   ALBERT    F.    HOLMES;    age,  22;    born,  Nantucket,  Mass.;    sailor;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered   out,    Aug.  i,  '64;    wounded  in  the 

wilderness;    deceased. 
CHARLES   A.    HOLMES;    age,  25;    born,  No.  Auburn,  Me.;    painter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.  20,  '62. 
SOLON    HOLMES;    age,   23;    born,    Grafton,    Vt.;    salesman;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  June  17,  '62;    deceased. 
•7^    CHARLES    W.    HOLT;   age,  25;   born,  Landgrove,  Vt.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  28,  '61  ;    mustered  out,  Sept.  22,  '62;  appointed  quarter- 

master  in  U.S.  service;  deceased. 
JOHN   M.    HOLT;    age,   25;    born,  Marlboro',    Mass.;    musician;  mustered  in 

as  musician,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  musician,  Sept.  2,  '62. 
EUGENE   J.  HOLYOKE  ;    age,  19;    born,   Marlboro',    Mass.;    farmer;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,   Co.  I,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Nov.  17,  '62;  deceased. 
HENRY   A.  HOLYOKE;    age,  25;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;    farmer;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61  ;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    detailed  in  ambu 

lance  corps;    residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
SAMUEL   S.    HOOD;   age,  29;  born,  Salem,  Mass.;  leather-dresser;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  I,  '62. 
GEORGE   H.    HORN;    age,  22;   born,  Dover,  N.H.;    shoemaker;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  16,  '62. 
CHARLES    E.    BORNE  ;    age,  21;  born,   Farmington,  N.IL;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  4th  sergt.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61  ;    mustered  out  as   1st  lieut.,  Sept. 

18,  '64;   promoted,  1st  sergt.,  Jan.,   '63,   to  2(1  lieut.,   July   I,  '63,  and   1st 

lieut.,    March,    '64:    wounded  at  Gettysburg,   July   I,  '63,  and  at  Spottsyl- 

vania  C.H.,   May  8,    '64;    at    latter  place    lost  right  arm;   was  also  taken 

prisoner    and    confined    in   Libby  until  Sept.  8,    '64;    residence,   Stoneham, 

Mass. 
ROLLINS   T.   HORTON  ;   age,  17;  born.  Clarendon,  Vt.;  baker;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64. 


y^x 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  427 


THOMAS  MORTON  :  age,  23;  born,  England;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
A,  July  23,  '63;  deserted,  May  5,  '64. 

JAMES  L.  HOSMER;  age,  21;  born,  Acton,  Mass.;  f  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  6,  '62;  dropped  from  rolls,  Oct.  10,  '62. 

ALBERT  R.  HOVEY  ;  age,  24;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Lewis- 
ton,  Me. 

CHARLES  H.  HOVEY;  age,  31;  born,  Boston,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
1st  lieut.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  promoted  to  capt.,  Co.  K,  Nov.  6,  '61;  to 
lieut.-col.,  April  16,  '64;  wounded,  Sept.  17,  '62,  in  face,  at  battle  of  An- 
tietam,  while  in  command  of  Co.  K;  wounded  at  Battle  of  Gettysburg,  Jul^ 
I,  '63,  and  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands  while  acting  as  division  inspector  on 
General  Robinson's  staff;  recaptured,  July  4,  '63;  wounded  at  Gettysburg 
in  right  thigh  near  knee;  detailed  from  regiment  as  brigade  inspector  on 
General  Taylor's  staff,  3d  Brigade,  2d  Div.,  1st  Corps,  on  Jan.  15,  '63;  on 
May  7,  '63,  on  the  retreat  from  Chancellorsville,  promoted  to  division  in 
spector  on  staff  of  General  Robinson,  commanding  ad  Div.,  ist  Corps,  and 
served  in  that  capacity  till  wounded  at  Gettysburg;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I, 
'64;  address,  39  Circuit  street,  Boston  Highlands. 

JOHN  G.  HOVEY  ;  age,  33;  mustered  in  as  ist  lieut.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  re 
signed  as  capt.,  Jan.  7,  '64;  promoted  to  capt.,  Jan.  31,  '62;  residence, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

DAVIS  P.  HOWARD;  age,  20;  born,  No.  Bridgewater,  Mass.;  brakeman; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Sept.  I,  '62;  resi 
dence,  So.  Framingham,  Mass. 

EDWARD  J.  HOWARD;  age,  19;  born,  Salem,  Mass.;  artist;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  25,  '64,  Washington;  resi 
dence,  Boston,  Mass. 

HENRY  HOWARD;  age,  21;  born,  Damariscotta,  Me.;  carriage-painter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  wounded, 
July  I,  1863;  promoted  to  corp.,  Jan.  I,  '63. 

WlLLIAM  L.  HOWARTH;  age,  20;  born,  Boston;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D.,  July  27,  '61;  entered  the  U.S.  Navy,  April  29,  '63,  as 
master's  mate;  promoted  to  ensign,  Sept.  17,  '64;  to  master,  Oct.  27,  '64: 
was  taken  prisoner  at  blowing  up  of  the  "  Albemarle,"  and  paroled  Feb.  24, 
'65;  commissioned  as  master  in  the  regular  service,  March  12,  '68;  resigned 
April  2,  '69;  received  prize  money,  $35,887.50. 

ALFRED  G.  HOWE;  age,  36:  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered 
in  as  sergt.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

CHARLES  A.  HOWE;  age,  24;  born,  Leominster,  Mass.;  trader:  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  10,  '63;  wounded  at 
Antietam;  residence,  Hudson,  Mass. 

CHARLES  E.  HOWE;  age,  18;  born,  Gonic,  N.H.;  blacksmith;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  28,  '61;  transferred  to  Co.  I,  igth  V.R.C.,  Dec.  13, 
'63;  mustered  out,  April  I,  '64;  residence,  Lowell,  Mass. 

CRANSTON  HOWE;  age,  19;  born,  Shrewsbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  4,  '63;  wounded,  Aug. 
30,  '62,  Manassas;  residence,  Natick,  Mass. 

JACOB  A.  HOWE:  age,  31;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co. 
A,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  promotions:  com. 


428  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

sergt.,  June  I,  '62;  2cl  lieut.,  July  23,  '62;  1st  lieut.,  Jan.  10,  '63;  capt., 
Aug.  4,  '63;  residence,  Maiden,  Mass. 

JOHN  H.  HOWE;  age,  23;  born,  Berlin,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  18,  '62;  reenlisted,  Co.  I, 
5th  Mass.  (loodays);  residence,  Linden,  Orange  Co.,  Kan. 

J.  R.  HOWE;  age,  18;  born,  Orange,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  29,  '62;  mustered  out,  Feb.  9,  '63. 

RUFUS  HOWE;  age,  20;  born,  Boylston,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  14,  '63;  wounded  at  An- 
tietam,  Se-pt.  17,  '62;  deceased. 

STEPHEN  A.  HOWE;  age,  19;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  16,  '61 ;  mus 
tered  out  as  musician,  Sept.  I,  '62. 

W.  H.  H.  HOWE;  age,  20;  born,  Orange,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  detailed  at  head 
quarters  in  commissary  department;  residence,  Felton  Hall,  Cambridge, 
Mass. 

WILLIAM  G.  HOWE;  age,  25;  musician;  mustered  in  as  member  of  band, 
July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  member  of  band,  Sept.  I,  '62. 

WlLLIAM  P.  HOWE;  age,  19;  born,  Stowe,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  14,  '63;  wounded  at 
Antietam;  residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 

CHARLES  C.  HOWLAND  ;  age,  27,  born,  Westport,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  20,  '62;  appointed  2d 
lieut.,  38th  Mass.;  afterwards  capt.  in  same  regiment;  residence,  650 
Shawmut  avenue,  Boston. 

DlXI  C.  HOYT  ;  age,  27;  born,  Northfield,  N.H. ;  physician;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  never  left  the  State;  in  1864  appointed  asst.- 
surgeon,  2d  Mass.  H.A.;  died  in  '64. 

WlLLIAM  HUDSON;  age,  25;  born,  Ireland;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  27,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  18,  '64. 

JOHN  HUGHES;  age,  29;  born,  Ireland;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
D,  July  28,  '63;  mustered  out,  Jan.  17,  '64. 

ORRA  H.  HUMPHREY;  age,  22;  born,  Hingham,  Mass.;  paper-hanger;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 
Cambridge,  Mass. 

WALTER  HUMPHREYS;  age,  20;  born,  Dorchester,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  7,  '62;  died  of  wounds  received  June  2,  '64. 

IRVING  S.  HUNT;  age,  25;  born,  Charlestown,  Mass.;  leather-dealer;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  4,  '62;  residence, 
26  Coenties  Slip,  New  York. 

J.  KDWIN  HUNT;  age,  22;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C, 
Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Jan.  19,  '63;  detailed  as  clerk  at  Convalescent 
Camp,  Alexandria,  Va.;  address,  City  Hall,  Boston. 

SAMUEL  E.  HUNT,  JR.  ;  age,  21;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed  to 
ambulance  train  soon  after  battle  of  Antietam;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 

SAMUEL  P.  HUNT;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  15,  '64;  detailed  as  librarian,  Campbell 
Hospital,  Washington,  D.C. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  429 

JOHN    I...    HUNTOON  ;    age,   25;    born,  Loudon,  N.H.;  carriage-painter;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  March  25,  '63. 
GEORGE   S.  HUTCHINGS;  age,  26;    born,  Salem,  Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,   '61 ;    mustered  out,  Feb.  28,   '63;    address,  23 

Irvington  street,  Boston. 
GEORGE    W.    HYDE  ;    age,  20;  born,  Boston;  clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  Aug.  7,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
ALBION     L.   JACKSON  ;    age,    18;   born,   Boston;    sailor;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.   A,   July   16,    '6l;    mustered   out  as  sergt.,   Aug.  I,  '64;    wounded  and 

taken  prisoner,  Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63,  and  wounded  at  North  Anna  River, 

'64;  residence,  Green  Harbor,  Mass. 
CHARLES    F.    JACKSON  ;   age,  18;  born,  Watertown;    blacksmith;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  18,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Nov.  25,  '62;  residence, 

Watertown,  Mass. 
DANIEL  R.  JACKSON  ;   age,  21;    born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as        7S 

corp.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  28,  '62. 
WlLLIAM  H.  JACKSON  ;  age,    28;    born,    Watertown,    Mass.;    civil    engineer; 

mustered  in  as   1st  lieut.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  March 

5,  '63;  address,  50  Bromfield  street,  Boston. 
WlLLIAM    P.   JACKSON;    age,  21;  born,  Boston;  grocer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Jan.  22,  '63;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
ALBERT  JENKINS;    age,  26;   born,  Bradford,  Vt.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

Corp.,  Co.   G,   July    16,   '6l;    reenlisted,   Jan.   4,    '64;    transferred    to   39th 

Mass. 
WlLLIAM  JENKINS  ;    age,  28;   born,  Boston;    mason;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.         -j^ 

A,  July  16,  '6i;   mustered  out,  Feb.  14,  '63;   died,  March  22,  '92.  ^-  ^ 

FRANCIS   JENKS;     age,  22;   shoemaker;   mustered  in  as  2d  lieut.,  Co.  II,  July 

16,  '61 ;   resigned,  April  30,  '62. 
EDWIN   R.    JENNESS ;     age,    19;   born,  Roxbury,    Mass.;    teamster;    mustered 

in   as  priv.,   Co.    E,   July    16,  '61;     mustered  out   as   corp.,    Aug.    i,    '64; 

wounded,  May  8,  '63;   residence,  764  Shawmut  avenue,  Boston. 
GEORGE    E.   JEPSON;     age,   20;    born,    Boston;    clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  29,  '61;    mustered  out  as  priv.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    Jan.,  '63,  detailed 

at  headquarters,  1st  and  5th  Corps;    residence,  Watertown,  Mass. 
ALERED    JOHNSON;      age,  19;   born,  Westminster,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered   in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '6l;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
CHARLES   A.   JOHNSON;    age,  28;    born,  Eastport,  Me.;    painter;    mustered  in         ._ 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;   mustered  out,  Oct.  n,  '62;   died  Dec.  12,  '68.       «O 
HENRY   JOHNSON;    age,  33;   born,  Germany;    mariner:    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  Jan.  14,  '64;   transferred  to  navy,  April  21,  '64. 
HOLLIS   L.  JOHNSON;    age,  23;   born,  Berlin,   Mass.;   shoemaker;   mustered          ~. 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61 ;   killed  Aug.  30,  '62. 
JOHN   H.   JOHNSON;    age,  24;   born,  Upton,  Mass.;   shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  ;6l;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Upton, 

Mass. 
JOHN    N.    P.   JOHNSON;    age,  42;    born,  Berlin,  Mass.;   shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  30,  '62. 
MORTIMER   JOHNSON;    age,  19;   born,    Sudbury,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 


430  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

as  priv.,   Co.    F,   July    16,    '61 ;    transferred,   July  13,  '64,  to  3gth  Inf.;   re- 
enlisted,  Feb.  19,  '64;  promoted  to  sergt. 
ROBERT    F.    JOHNSON;    age,  27;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  painter;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;    mustered  out,  Dec.  26,  '62. 
SETH   W.    JOHNSON;    age,    20;    born,    Dover,   Me.;     clerk;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  11,  '63. 
WlLLIAM   JOHNSON;   age,  23;  born,  Ireland;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  21,  '63. 

WlLLIAM  JOHNSON;  age,  28;  born,  New  York  City;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  25,  '63;  transferred,  July  16,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

WlLLIAM  G.  JOHNSON;  age,  23;  born,  Eastport,  Me.;  painter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  746 
Broadway,  Chelsea,  Mass. 

WlLLIAM  H.  JOHNSON;  age,  24;  born,  Boston;  marketman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  15,  '64. 

ALBERT  V.  JOHNSTON;  age,  19;  born,  South  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  4,  '63;  wounded  at  Manassas, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  South  Boston,  Mass. 

DAVID  L.  JONES;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  reenlisted,  Jan.  4,  '64;  transferred  as  sergt.  to  39th 
Mass.;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

FLORENTINE  A.JONES;  age,  20;  born,  Rumney,  N.H.;  watchmaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  24,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 
Boston,  Mass. 

FRANK  JONES;  age,  32;  born,  Springfield,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  25,  '63;  residence,  Marl 
boro',  Mass. 

GEORGE  F.  JONES;  age,  20;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded, 
July  i,  '63,  and  May  10,  '64;  residence,  Jamaica  Plain,  Mass. 

GEORGE  F.  JONES;  age,  22;  born,  Chirlestown,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  17,  '62,  Phila 
delphia. 

GEORGE  W.  JONES;  age,  22;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

HENRY  H.  JONES;  age,  20;  born,  Wolfboro',  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64;  promoted  to  corp., 
May,  '63;  residence,  Melrose,  Mass. 

JOHN  JONES;  age,  25;  born,  Lebanon,  Me.;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  corp., 
Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  9,  '63;  afterwards  1st  lieut.,  6th 
Unattached  Co.,  Mass.  Vols.,  and  1st  lieut.,  4th  H.A.;  residence,  El- 
dora,  Hardin  Co.,  la. 

LEWELLYN  JONES;  age,  20;  born,  South  Solon,  Me.;  painter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  "61;  reenlisted,  Jan.  4,  '64;  transferred  to  39th 
Mass.;  promoted  to  corp. 

L,YMAN   A.    JONES;    age,  30;   born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  Oct.  13,  '62. 

'WlLLIAM  JONES;  age,  28;  born,  Cleveland,  O.;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  K,  July  31,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  16,  '63,  to  enlist  in  the  U.S.  Navy. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  431 

WlLLIAM   H.   JONES;    age,   22;    mustered    in  as    principal    musician,  July  26, 

'61;   mustered  out  as  principal  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

WlLLIAM    H.   JONES;    age,  23;    born,  Lynn,  Mass.;    pattern-maker;    mustered 
in  as   priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;    mustered   out,  March    16,  '64;    residence, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 
WlLLIAM    H.    JONES  ;      age,  23;   born,  England;    harness-maker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  27,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
WlLLIAM    M.    JONES;    age,   32;    born,    Nantucket;    mariner;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  24,  '61;   died,  Aug.  26,  '62. 

SAMUEL  JORDAN;    age,  37;   born,  Bridgeton,  Me.;    wheelwright;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  10,  '62;   mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Aug.    i,  '64;   died, 

May  29,  '93,  at   Worcester,    Mass.;    promoted  to  corp.,  July  i,  '64;    taken 

prisoner  at  Gettysburg. 

WALTER    H.    JUDSON  ;    age,  35;    lawyer;    mustered  in  as  2d  lieut.,  Co.  C,  July 

16,  '61;   dismissed,  Nov.  22,  '62. 
JAMES   KANE;    age,    19;    born,    New  York   City;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    transferred  Feb.  17,  '62,  to  Western  flotilla. 
THOMAS    R.    KEENAN;    age,   24;    born,   Ireland;    conductor;    mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  2O,   '61;   mustered  out  as  priv.,  Co.  A,   Feb.    10,   '62; 
commissioned  in  1 7th  Mass.  Reg.,  and  wounded  or  killed  in  action. 
CHARLES   W.    KEETING  ;    age,  22;    born,  Lowell,  Mass.;   student;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  13,  '63. 

JOSEPH   A.    KEETING;    age,    19;    born,  Lowell,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    promoted 

to  corp.,  Nov.,  '63;   carried  the  national  colors  from  May  8,  '64,  to  date  of 

discharge. 

MlCHAEL   KEETING;    age,  22;   born,   Ireland;   seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  24,  '63;   transferred  to  navy,  April  18,  '64. 
GEORGE    KEITH;    age,   29;   born,  Ireland;    seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  July  28,  '63;    transferred  to  navy,  April  13,  '64. 

JOHN   K.   KEITH;   age,  19;    born,  Brooklyn,  N.Y.;   draughtsman;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July   16,   '61;    Nov.   2,   '62,  died  of  wounds  received  at 
Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
NELSON   KEITH  ;    age,  25;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   mustered 

out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
BALTHASEN    KELLER;    age,    24;    born,    Germany;    clothier;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  Nov.  5,  '63;   never  reported  for  duty. 

JOSEPH    K.    KELLEY;    age,  20;   born,  Boothbay,  Me.;    mason;    mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  28,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.;    died  Sept.    18,   '63,  of 
fever,  at  Armory  Hospital,  Washington,  D.C. 
M.    F.    KELLEY  ;   age,  18;   born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;   paper-carrier;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  29,  '61;  transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Dec.  13,  '63. 
HENRY    KELLOGG,  JR.  ;    age,  19;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  April  23,   '63;    residence,  Bos 
ton,  Mass. 
JAMES    KELLY;    age,   22;   born,  England;   seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G, 

July  27,  '63;   transferred  to  navy,  April  23,  '64. 

GEORGE  V.   KEMP;    age,  22;  born,  Lyman,  N.H.;   shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 


432  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

7"^       EDMOND   H.    KENDALL;    age,  30;    born,  Sterling,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  Aug.  4,  '62;    killed  Dec.  13,  '62,  at  Fredericksburg. 

EDWARD  KENDALL;  age,  17;  born,  Boston;  machinist;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  musician,  Feb.  19,  '64;  residence, 
Chelsea,  Mass. 

^  "7^  JAMES  T.  E.  KENDALL;  age,  25;  born,  Boston;  chair-maker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds  received  at  battle  of  Antie- 
tam,  Oct.  I,  '62. 

JAMES  W.  KENNAY  ;  age,  24;  born,  London,  Eng.;  cabinet-maker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergeant,  April  9,  '64. 

WlLLIAM  J.  KERRIGAN;  age,  22;  born,  Middleburg,  Vt.;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  deserted  Aug.  i,  '63. 

THEOPHILUS    KILBY  ;     age,  20;    horn,  Dennysville,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  20,  '62. 

fc^jT>  CHARLES  D.  KiMBALL;  age,  28;  born,  Bath,  Me.;  hatter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  24,  '65;  taken  prisoner  at 
Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63;  taken  prisoner  again  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  3,  '64; 
exchanged,  Nov.  29,  '64;  deceased. 

GEORGE  H.  KIMBALL;  age,  19;  born,  Middlesex,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  priv.,  Jan.  31,  '63,  to  receive 
commission  in  a  native  Louisiana  regiment;  residence,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

WlLLIAM  B.  KIMBALL;  age,  28;  born,  Oakham,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  K,  July  16, '61 ;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  promotions: 
1st  sergt.,  July  19,  '61;  commissary  sergt,,  March  I,  '62;  2d  lieut.,  May  25, 
'62;  1st  lieut.,  Feb.  27,  '63;  capt.,  Oct.  4,  '63;  residence,  Enfield,  Mass. 

FRANCIS  M.  KIMMENS;  age,  19;  born,  Bolton,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  reenlisted,  Feb.  19,  '64,  and  transferred  to 
39th  Mass.,  as  corp.,  July  14,  '64. 

GEORGE    KING  ;    age,    23;   born,  Canada;   laborer;    mustered  in   as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  25,  '63;   deserted,  Feb.  18,  '64. 

7*"*  GEORGE   L.    KING;    age,  21;   born,  Boston;   clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co- 

A,  July  1 6,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    died,  '93. 

JAMES  KING;  age,  26;  born,  Ireland;  seaman;  mastered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E> 
July  23,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 

JOHN  W.  KlNG;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  printer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
G,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Jan.  26,  '63. 

ROBERT  KlNG;  age,  20;  born,  Boston,  Mass.;  ropemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  26,  '63. 

WlLLIAM  KlNG;  age,  27;  born,  Plymouth,  Mass.;  mariner;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  21,  '62;  mustered  out,  Dec.  20,  '62;  never  did  duty 
with  company. 

JOHN    W.    KlRBY  ;    age,  19;    born,  North  Cambridge,  Mass.;   sailor;    mustered 
,*  I  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

*-f/9j  HENRY    P.    KITFIELD  ;    age,  20;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   C,  July   16,   '61 ; 
/'/  mustered  out,  Nov.  29,  '62. 

PAUL     C.    Kl'lTREDGE  ;    age,   50;  born,  Littleton,  Mass.;  physician;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  24,  '62. 

^^ft-^  LEWIS  KlTTRIDGE  ;  age,  28;  born,  Germany;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  I,  July  1 6,  '61;  died,  Nov.  23,  '61,  Baltimore. 


TIIIJiTEENTir    MASS.     VOLS.  438 


MlNOT   M.    KlTTRIDGE;    age,    22;    born,    Nelson,     N.H.;    provision-dealer: 

mustered    in    as    priv.,  Co.   H,  July  25,   '62;    mustered  out,    Aug.    i,   '64; 

wounded,  July  i,  '63;   residence,  Boston. 

JOHN  F.   KLENKRT  j   age,  31;    born,   Wolfartsweier,  Gcr.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  private,  Co.   I,   July    16,    '61;    mustered   out  as  sergt.,  July    16, 

'64,    New  York;    promoted  to   Corp.,    Nov.    I,   '62;    sergt.,   June   24,    '63; 

wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63;  residence,  Nashua,  N.II. 
CASPER  KLING;  age,  33;  born,  Germany;    cigar-maker;    mustered  in  as  priv.; 

Co.  C,  Aug.  4,  '63;   transferred,  July  13,  '64. 

FRANCIS  W.   KNAPP;  age,  25;  I  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '61 ;  mus 
tered  out  as  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 
DANIEL  K.  KNOX  ;   age,  22;  born,  Eastport,  Me.;  ambrotype;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July    16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Feb.    12,   '63;   wounded,  Aug. 

30,  '62. 
JULIUS    F.    KRAITZER  ;  age,  20;  born,  Walpole,  N.H.;    clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
ANTON    KRASINSKIR  ;    age,  26;    born,  Russia;   cabinet-maker;   mustered  in «as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,    "61;    mustered  out,  Dec.  5,  '62;   residence,  Field's 

Corner,  Dorchester. 
CARL    K.REBS;    age,   31;    born,   Hanover,   Germany;    tailor;    mustered    in   as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  Feb.  25,   '62;  died,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
JOHN   KURTZ  ;   trader;  mustered  in  as  capt.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out, 

for  promotion,  as  col.  of  the  23d  Mass.;  died,  Nov.  10,  '81. 
JOHN     LACKEY;    age,  25;    born,   Hopkinton,  Mass.;    laborer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,   '61 ;    mustered  out  as  priv.,  Aug.    I,    '64;    served  as 

teamster,  Q.M.  Dept.;  residence,  Oakham,  Mass. 
JOHN   E.    LA   GLAIR;    age,  28;    born,   Highgate,  Vt.;    shoemrker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
JoHN   L/AHEY  ;   age,   21;    mustered   in   Co.  G,  July   16,    '61;    deserted,    July 

30, '61. 
H.    O.    LAMB;    age,  24;   born,  Somerville,  Mass.;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  July  29,  '61. 
KLBRIDGE    LANE;    age,  47;    mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,    '61;    mustered 

out  as  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

CHARLES   H.   LANG;    age,   33;   born,   Stratham,   N.H.;    cabinet-maker;    mus- 

„.     tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61 ;   mustered  out  as  corp.,  Co.  G,  April 

/  f.   <Q     3°>  '64;    promotions:   corp.,  Sept.    I,   '63;    2d  lieut.,  59th  Mass.,  April  19, 

/ 0/0  "'64;     i*t    lieut.,    Aug.    20,    '64;    wounded,    Sept.   17,  '62;    taken  prisoner, 

Petersburg,  July  30,   '64,  and  released  March   I,   '65;    residence,   Reading, 

Mass. 
SAMUEL   A.    LANGLEY  ;    age,    18;    born,  Providence,   R.I.;    porter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  Oct.   21,   '61 ;    transferred   to  391)1  Mass.,  July   14,  '64; 

residence,  West  Newton,   Mass. 
ALFRED   LAPIERRE  ;    age,  23;   born,  Canada;   seaman;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  G,  July  27,  "63;   transferred  to  39th  Mass. 
GEORGE   LARKIN  ;    age,  30;    born,  Canada;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

B,  July  24,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  20,  '63. 

AUSTIN   B.    LAWRENCE  ;   age,  32;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '61;  mus 
tered  out  as  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 


434  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

i~-/y    JOSHUA   T.    LAWRENCE;    age,  20;    born,   Roxbury,  Mass.;    painter;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  22,  '61;    killed,  Sept.  17,  '62,  at  Antietam. 

WALTER  LAWRENCE;  age,  22;  born,  England;  builder;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  24,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  14,  '63. 

ALONZO  C.  H.  LAWS;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Dor 
chester,  Mass. 

JAMES  O.  LEARY;  age,  40;  born,  England;  plumber;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Dec.  i,  '63. 

EDWARD  LEE;  age,  30;  born,  Ireland;  tailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K, 
July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  May  9,  '64. 

HAYWARl)  LEE  ;  age,  21;  born,  New  York  City;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Nov.  30,  '62. 

JAMES  P.  LEEDS;  age,  20;  born,  Newport,  R.I.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  detailed  on  special 
service  for  the  Treasury  Department  in  '62;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

GEORGE  LEHMAN;  age,  19;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass;  painter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '6l ;  transferred  toV.R.C.;  wounded,  July  I,  "63; 
residence,  Lynn,  Mass. 

CHARLES   E.    LELAND;    age,  18;   born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  i,  '63. 

^y/U.^  GEORGE   S.     LEMOYNE;    age,  23;    born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  sergt., 
Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  July  I,  '63,  V.R.C.;  wounded,  Aug.  28,  '62. 

JOEL  H.  LsMoYNE ;  age,  18;  bom,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  August  I,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '63. 

ANDREW  W.  LEONARD  ;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  for  promotion,  Aug.  18,  '63;  promoted, 
2d  lieut.,  54th  Mass.,  Aug.  18,  '63;  1st  lieut.,  Jan.,  '64;  capt.,  iO3d  U.S. 
Col.  Troops,  May,  '65;  died  in  Illinois. 

SAMUEL  H.  LEONARD;  age,  36;  born,  Bolton;  expressman;  mustered  in  as 
col.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  col.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  by  reason  of  his  senior 
ity  in  rank  he  acted  as  brigade  commander,  at  different  times,  for  a  period  of 
nearly  two  years;  was  in  command  of  the  brigade  picket  for  the  advance 
guard  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  the  winter  of  '63-'64;  was  wounded  at 
Gettysburg;  residence,  West  Newton,  Mass. 

GEORGE  P.  LESLIE;  age,  20;  born,  Saxonville,  Mass.;  chrk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March,  '63,  at  Newark,  N.J.; 
wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  deceased. 

MORRIS  LEVINS  ;  age,  26;  born,  Ireland;  cook;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E, 
Jan.  6,  '62;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64;  was  a  sergt.  in  the 
Regular  Army  at  the  time  of  his  death,  '93. 

EDWARD  A.  LEWIS;  age,  21;  born,Woburn,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

r  RANK  A.  LEY;  age,  28;  born,  Germany;  pianoforte-maker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  28,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

FREDERICK  A.  LIBBEY  ;  age,  18;  born,  South  Boston;  machinist:  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  drummer,  Aug.  I,  '64;  ap 
pointed  drummer,  Co.  E,  Oct.  20,  '61;  residence,  88  Banks  street,  Cam 
bridge,  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  436 


CHARLES  T.  LINFIELD;  age,  21;  born,  South  Weymouth,  Mass.;  conductor; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  8,  '62;  died,  Oct.  30,  '62,  on  account 
of  wounds. 

ALBERT  M.  LlSCOMJ  age,  23;  born,  Worcester,  Mass.;  mechanic,  piano 
forte;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  30,  '63; 
deceased. 

ALVIN  S.  LlTCHFIELD  ',  age,  22;  born,  Lewiston,  Me.;  provision-dealer; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64; 
wounded  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;  taken  prisoner,  Chambersburg,  Pa., 
Sept.,  '62,  by  Stuart;  address,  41  Faneuil  Hall  Market,  Boston. 

BENJAMIN  LITCHFIELDJ  age,  24;  born,  Lewiston,  Me.;  provision-dealer; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  29,  '62; 
served  in  commissary  department  eight  months;  wounded  at  Antietam, 
Sept.  17,  '62;  taken  prisoner  at  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  while  in  hospital;  res 
idence,  Lewiston,  Me. 

THOMAS  J.  Lrm.K  ;  age,  24;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  boot  and  shoe  dealer; 
mustered  in  as  sergt. -major,  July  16,  '61;  promotions:  2d  lieut.,  March  16, 
'62;  1st  lieut.,  Nov.  29,  '62;  wounded  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;  ap 
pointed  2d  lieut.,  5th  Unattached  H.A.,  March  29,  '63;  capt.,  June  4, 
'63;  residence,  Portland,  Me. 

JACOB  H.  LnTLEFIELD ;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  teamster;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  24,  '61;  died  of  wounds,  Nov.  19,  '62. 

OLIVER  C.  LlVERMORE;  age,  23;  born,  Waltham,  Mass.;  paper-dealer;  mus 
tered  in  as  1st  sergt.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;' 
promotions:  sergt. -major,  April  I,  '62;  2cl  lieut.,  Jan.  28,  '62;  1st  lieut., 
Dec.  30,  '62;  and  capt.,  May  i,  '63;  detached  from  regiment  as  follows: 
Feb.,  '63,  A. A.,  A.G.,  3d  Brig.,  2d  Div.,  ist  A.C.;  May  20,  '63,  A.A.,  in 
spector,  1st  Brig.,  2d  Div.,  1st  A.C.;  March,  '64,  A.D.C.  and  A.A.A.  Gen., 
2d  Div.,  ist  A.C.;  May  10,  '64,  A.D.C. ,  Staff  5th  A.C.;  June,  '64,  A.D.C. 
and  chief  of  Construction  Corps,  3d  Div.,  5th  A.C.;  as  2d  lieut.  assigned  to 
Co.  C. ;  as  ist  lieut.,  assigned  to  Co.  C;  as  capt.,  assigned  to  Co.  A;  served 
on  staffs  of  Cols.  Leonard  and  McCoy,  commanding  brigade;  Brig. -gen. 
G.  R.  Paul,  Brig. -com.  Gen.  J.  C.  Robinson,  Div. -com.  and  Gen.  G.  K. 
Warren,  5th  Corps,  and  Gen.  Crawford,  2d  Div.,  5th  A.C.;  residence,  Wel- 
lesley  Hills,  Mass 

ANDREW  J.  LLOYD  ;  age,  28;  born,  Gloucester,  Mass.;  watchmaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence, 
Boston. 

b  RED  D.  LOCKE;  age,  19;  born,  Chester,  Vt.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  was  a  prisoner  from  July  i, 
'63,  to  May  5,  '64;  residence,  Le  Vegas,  N.M. 

FREDERICK.  J.  LOCKE;  age,  21;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  accountant;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61 ;  deserted,  Oct.  13,  '62. 

JOHN  S.  LOCKNVOOD ;  age,  22;  born,  Saratoga  Springs,  N.Y.;  clerk;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  8,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  8,  '64,  Washing 
ton;  detailed  as  clerk  at  various  headquarters  from  Oct.  26,  '62;  residence, 
Boston,  Mass. 

WlLI.IAM  S.  LONG;  age,  22;  mustered  in  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  July 
29,  '61. 

GEORGE  A.  LORD,  JR.  ;  age,  19;  born,  South  Boston;  draughtsman;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  30,  "61. 


436  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

HENRY   C.    LoRDj    age,  26;   born,  Boston;   leather;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Nov.  26,  '62;    wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62;    res 
idence,  Maiden,  Mass. 

ISAAC   A.    LORD;    age,    22;   born,    Effingham,   N.H.;    binder;    mustered   in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  6,  '62;    mustered  out,  Jan.  2,  '63;    wounded;  residence, 
Melrose,   Mass.  (?) 
JOSEPH    L.    LORD;     age,  21;   born,  Boston;    silversmith;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
WlLLIAM    H.    LORD  ;    age,  19;    born,  Boston;    painter;    mustered  in    as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Maiden,  Mass. 
^   f*     \VlLLIAM    H.    LORD;    age,  20;    born,  Lowell,  Mass.;    butcher;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Sept.  10,  '63;    died,  '93. 
HENRY    LOREY  ;    age,    24;    born,   Germany;     cabinet-maker;    mustered    in    as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Sept.  15,  '63;    wounded  at  Gettys 
burg. 

FRANK   W.  LORING  ;    age,  18;    mustered   in   as   musician,  July    16,   '61;    mus 
tered  out  as  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 
»— J7>    WASHINGTON    I.    LOTHROP;    age,   23;    born,   Weymouth,  Mass.;    shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
CHARLES    1.    LOVE;    age,    19;    born,    Charlestown,    Mass.;    farmer;    mustered 
in   as   priv.,   Co.    I,   July    16,    '61;    mustered   out,    Aug.    I,   '64;    residence, 
•>  Clinton,  Mass. 

v£/r      ALDEN    LOVELL  ;     age,  29;    born,  Worcester,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 
//{*/$&         as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out  as  priv.,  Feb.  14,  '63;    wounded 

f  *  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;   residence,  Westboro',  Mass. 

•*^J}      DANIEL   A.    LOVERING  ;     age,    38;     born,    Sudbury,    Mass.;     powder-maker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  6,  '62;    killed,  June  3,  '64,  Cold  Harbor. 

*yft     JOHN    G.    LOVERING  ;    age,  44;    born,  Exeter,  N.H.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  22,  '61;    mustered  out,  June  14,  '62;    died  in  '91. 
LVMAN   H.    Low;     age,    18;    born,  Boston;    hardware;    mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  July   22,    '64,   Washington;    detailed  as 
clerk  at  Point  Lookout;    with  Q.M.  at  Convalescent  Camp;    and  Q.M.  sergt. 
at  Ayer  General  Hospital;    residence,  New  York. 

JAMES    H.    LOWELL;    age,    19;     born,   Boston;    lithographer;    mustered  in   as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  I,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;    wounded  at  ad  Bull 
Run;    residence,  Holton,  Kan. 
STEPHEN    LUFKIN  ;    age,  48;    born,  Chester,  N. II. ;  toolmaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '62;    mustered  out,  Jan.  29,  '63. 

STEPHEN  W.  LUFKIN;  age,  18;  born,  Woburn,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  8,  '62;  mustered  out,  May  20,  '64;  wounded  at  Gettys 
burg;  residence,  Wakefield,  Mass. 

HlRAM  H.  LUFLER  ;  age,  21;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  15,  '64;  wounded  at 
Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 

G-EORGE  A.  LYFORD  ;  age,  23;  born,  Boston;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  for  wounds  received  at  Fred- 
ericksburg,  Dec.  13,  '62,  Washington,  Jan.,  '63;  promoted  to  corp.,  July, 
'61;  residence,  Rouseville,  Pa. 

JOHN  LYNCH;  age,  21;  born,  Maine;  seaman;  mustered  in  ns  priv.,  Co.  I, 
Aug.  5,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  437 


MiCHAEL    LYNCH  ;    age,  20;    born,    Ireland;    bootfitter;    mustered   in    as  priv., 

Co.  K,  July   16,    "6i;   mustered   out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    wounded   before  Peters- 

burg,  June  17,  '64;   deceased. 
MiCHAEL   LYNCH;    age,  2i;   born,  Ireland;    baker;    mustered  in  as  priv.,   Co. 

G,  July  27,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
ALBERT   LYNDE  ;    age,  20;    born,   West  Brookfield,  Mass.;    marketman;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded, 

June  2O,  '64. 
JAMES   MACEY;    age,  20;    born,   Melrose,    Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered   in   as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,   Aug.    I,   '64;    residence,  34  Vine 

street,  Lynn,  Mass. 
JOHN   MACMAHON  ;    age,  21;    born,   Voughal,   Ireland;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  25,  '6l;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    wounded, 

Aug.  30,  '62;    appointed  acting  asst.  -paymaster  U.S.  Navy,   Nov.  n,    '64; 

asst.  -paymaster,  July  23,  '66;    past  asst.  -paymaster,    Dec.    10,   '67,  and  pay 

master  in  '77;   died,  Sept.,  '93. 
JOSEPH  W.  MACRAE;  age,    17;    born,    London,    Eng.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
CHAS.  CHRISTOPHER   MAGRAW  ;    age,    22;     born,    Waterville,    N.Y.;    clerk; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I),  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    died, 

Aug.  20,  '84. 
PATRICK    MAHAN;    age,  37;    born,  Ireland;    laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

I,  July  27,  '63;    transferred   to   39th    Mass.,   July   14,  '64;    wounded  in  the 

Wilderness;   residence,  East  Boston,  Mass. 
THEODORE   L.    MAHAN;    age,  29;   born,  Boston;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,   Co.    I,  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out,    Aug.    I,   '64;    residence,   Marl- 

borough,   Mass. 
THOMAS   MAHONEY;   age,   21;    born,  New  Brunswick;    teamster;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  24,  '63;  deserted,  April  17,  '64. 
JACOB  MAITZ  ;  age,  35;  born,  Germany;  brewer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G, 

July  27,  '63;  transferred  to  3gth  Mass. 
CHARLES   MAKILL;  age,  32;  born,  Germany;  baker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

G,  July  29,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass. 
GEORGE    L.    MANCHESTER;    age,  27;  born,  King's  County,  N.B.;  painter; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Feb.  22,  '62;    mustered  out,  Jan.  13,  '64. 
ANDREW    J.    MANN;    age,  20;    born,  Oxford,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.    F,   July    16,    '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,    '64;    residence,   Marl 
boro',   Mass. 

FRANCIS    H.    MANN;  age,    19;    born,    Milton,    Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July    16,    '61  ;    mustered  out,  Nov.    14,  '62;   residence,  Ran 
dolph,  Mass. 
HORACE    MANN;  age,  21;    born,   Boston;    currier;    mustered    in    as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  18,  '64;  wounded,  July  i,  '63. 
JONATHAN   P.    MANN;   born,  Upton,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  Sept.  n,  '62. 
JOSEPH    \V.    MANN;    age,  24;  born,  New  York  City;  shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  June  22,  '64. 

CHARLES  W.  MANNING;  age,  18;  born,  Ashby,  Mass.;  hatter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  19 
Berwick  park,  Boston. 


438  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


GEORGE  F.  MANSONJ  age,  29;  born,  Farmington,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  23,  '62;  was  in 
jured,  Aug.  30,  '62,  by  the  explosion  of  an  ammunition  wagon  which  he 
drove;  residence,  Lyme,  Marion  Co.,  Florida. 

GEORGE  R.  MARKHAM  ;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  H,  Feb.  24,  '62;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

DENNIS  MARR;  age,  19;  born,  Auburn,  Me.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

E.  P.  MARSH;  age,  24;  born,  Newfane,  Vt.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  commissary  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  sergt.,  Nov.  I,  '62;  residence,  Greenfield,  Mass. 

GEORGE  W.  MARSH;  age,  37;  born,  Campton,  X.IL;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Sept.  16,  '62;  residence, 
Stoneham,  Mass. 

GEORGE  E.  MARSHALL;  age,  22;  born,  Louisville,  Ky.;  conductor;  mus 
tered  in  as  Corp.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  15,  '62. 

JAMES  MARTIN;  age,  21;  born,  England;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
F,  July  28,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 

JOSEPH  MARTIN;  age,  26;  born,  Three  Rivers,  Can.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  27,  '61;  deserted,  July  23,  '62. 

LUTHER  MARTIN;  age,  18;  born,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

SAMUEL  J.  MARTIN;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  Aug.  II,  '62;  mustered  out,  March  2,  '63. 

GEORGE  H.  MASON  ;  age,  26;  born,  No.  Dennis;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  Mississippi  flotilla,  Feb.  17,  '62. 

MlCHAEL  MATTHEWS  ;  age,  21;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded, 
July  3,  '63. 

FRANK  MAUVRIS;  age,  27;  born,  Greece;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July 
28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  22,  '63;  arrested  and  sent  to  Tortugas;  dropped 
from  rolls. 

CHARLES  MAY;  age,  33;  born,  Westport,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  28,  '62;  transferred  to  V.K.C.,  March  7,  '64. 

CHARLES  H.  MAYNARU;  age,  26;  born,  Stow,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;  died  Jan.  24,  '64. 

GEORGE  H.  MAYNARD;  age,  25;  born,  Waltham,Mass.;  watchmaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  17,  '63;  pro 
moted  to  capt.  and  major  in  U.S.  C.T.;  residence,  Waltham,  Mass. 

JONATHAN  A.  MAYNARD;  age,  21;  born,  Sterling,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  22,  '62. 

CHARLES  H.  MAYO;  age,  28;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  conductor;  mustered 
in  as  Corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

ALEXANDER  C.  McALPIN;  age,  20;  born,  Scotland;  chemist;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  dishonorably,  Jan.  14,  '65. 

JAMES  McCARRON;  age,  22;  born,  Portrush,  Ire.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  1 6,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

JOSEPH  F.  McCLUSKY  ;  age,  25;  born,  Londonderry,  Ire.;  hatter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Oct.  15,  '62. 


THIUTEENTIL    MASS.     VOLS.  430 


JAMES  L.  McCoY;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

HENRY  MCCURDLE;  age,  23;  born,  Ireland;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  July  28,  '63;  transferred,  April  22,  '64,  to  navy. 

JoMN  R.  McCUTCHINS ;  age,  25;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  16,  '62; 
residence,  Natick,  Mass. 

THOMAS  McCUTCHIXS;  age,  32;  born,  Eastport,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  19,  '62;  mustered  out  as  hospital  steward,  Aug.  25, 
'65;  discharged  from  1 3th,  Jan.  15,  '63,  by  special  order,  and  appointed 
hospital  steward  at  Carver  Hospital,  Washington,  I). C.;  residence,  Natick, 
Mass. 

CJEORGE  F.  McDoNALD  ;  age,  21 ;  born,  England;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  28,  '63;  transferred,  July  \$\  '64,  to  39th  Mass. 

JOHN  ANDREW  MCDONALD  ;  age,  29;  born,  Prince  Edward  Island:  clerk; 
mustered  in  as  Corp.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  ?6i ;  mustered  out,  May  25,  '62. 

JOHN  McELROY  ;  age,  24;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  Corp., 
Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  missing  after  Aug.  30,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

DANIEL  MC^ARLAND;  age,  28;  born,  Boston;  machinist;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

GEORGE  W.  MCFARLAND  ;  age,  23;  born,  Maine;  printer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  20,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  18,  '63. 

ALEXANDER  McGlLYARY  ;  age,  20;  born,  Antingonish,  N.S.;  laborer;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  July  14,  '62. 

EDWARD  McGRADY  ;  age,  21;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  15,  '62;  wounded,  Aug.  30, 
'62;  residence,  Lynn,  Mass. 

CHARLES  McGlIIREj  age,  27;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  May  12,  '62. 

JOHN   McGuiRE  ;    age,  21;   Ixjrn,  New  York;  shoemaker;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  Aug.  2,  '63;   transferred,  July  14,  '63,  to  391!!  Ma.->s. 
SAMUEL   F.  MC!NTYRE  ;    age,  18;   born,  Waterloo,  N.V.;    sailor;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  Sept.  17,  '63,  to  V.R.C. 
GEORGE  F.  McKAY;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  55th  Mass.,  Sept.  25,  '65;  ap 
pointed  1st  lieut.,  55th  Mass.,  Feb.,  '64;  adjt.,  Jan.  I,  '64;  capt.,  Feb., 
'65;  brev. -major,  March  13,  '65;  wounded  near  Charlestown  &  Savannah 
R.R.,  Feb.  9,  '65,  while  A.A.A.G.  on  Gen.  Ilallowell's  staff;  residence, 
Boston. 

JAMES    McKAY ;    age,  31;   born,    Halifax,    N.S.;    cabinet-maker;    mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Read 
ing,  Mass. 
MICHAEL   McKENZIE  ;     age,  24;   born,  Ireland;    laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  25,  '63;   deserted,  Sept.  21,  '63. 
EDWARD    F.    McLANE;    age,  29;  born,  Appleton,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

CHARLES  A.  MCLAUCHI.AN;  age,  22;  born,  Dennysville,  Me.;  machinist; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Oct.  5,  '63; 
promoted  to  Corp.,  Dec.,  '62;  wounded  at  Gettysburg. 


440  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


JOHN    F.    McNALLY  ;    age,  21;   born,   Boston;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv-;, 

Co.  D,  Feb.  24,  '62;   killed,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  Antietam. 
GEORGE    F.    MEAD;    age,   23;   born,  Walpole,  N.H.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
GEORGE   E.    MECUEN;    age,   19;   born,  Roxbury,   Mass.;    jeweller;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  1083 

Tremont  street,  Boston,  Mass. 
HERMAN   M.    MFNTZFL;    age,   21;    born,  Germany;    baker;   mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  29,  '63;    transferred  July  13,  '64,  to  3gth  Inf. 
JOSEPH   O.    MERRILL;    age,  25;    born,  Farmington,  N.IT.  ;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  May  22,  '62. 
SEWELL   H.    MERRILL;    age,    24;    born,   Hampden,    Me.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Nov.  12,   '62;    taken 

prisoner  at  Manassas;   residence,  Berlin,  Mass. 

,      ,nq    HARTLEY   G.    METCALF;    age,  22;   born,  Wrentham,   Mass.;    butcher;    mus- 
i  i/  o/O          tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   F,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out,   May  19,   '62;    resi 

dence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
HENRY   W.    METCALF;    age,   18-;   born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  Aug.  8,  '62;  mustered  out,  July  16,  '64;  residence,  Worcester,  Mass. 
ZEPHRIAM  MlER;  age,  27;    born,  Germany;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

G,  July  25,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
v^    JOSEPH   O.   MlLES;   age,  18;  born,  Boston;   clerk;   mustered  in  as  corp.,  Co. 

D,  July  I,  '63;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    died  in  Boston  the  day 

after  regiment  arrived  home,  July  21,  '64. 
/$V^    WlLLIAM   P-    MlLES;    age,   18;   born,  Woburn,   Mass.;   butcher;    mustered  in 

as    priv.,   Co.    C,    July    16,    '61;     mustered   out,   Aug.    i,    '64;     residence, 

i  Walnut  street,  Providence,  R.I. 
JAMES   MiLLER;    age,  24;    born,  Prussia;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K, 

July  29,  '63;   deserted,  Sept.  19,  '63. 
CHARLES   B.    MILLS;    age,   18;   born,   Boston;    provision-dealer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  24,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
NELSON    C.    MlNARD;    age,   21;    born,   Chelsea,  Vt.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  I,  '62;    mustered  out,  March  31,  '64;    on  detached  duty 

in  invalid  corps;    never  with  regt. 
JOHN   MITCHELL;   age,  22;   born,  Edinburgh,    Scot.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
RlCHARD   MONTAGUE;    age,  22;   born,  Vernon;    driver;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  July  21,  '62;    residence,  Northboro',  Mass. 
ALPHEUS   MONTGOMERY;    age,   19;    clerk;    mustered  in,  July   16,    '61;    mus 

tered  out  as  Q.M.    sergt.,  Aug.   I.    '64;    declined  promotion  as   2d  lieut., 

Q.M.  sergt.,  Dec.   I,   '62;    residence,  New  York. 
CHARLES   B.    MOORE;    age,  25;  born,  Framingham,  Mass.;    farmer;  mustered 

in    as    priv.,    Co.   I,  July   16,    '61;    transferred   to  V.R.C.,   April    13,   '64; 

deceased. 
GEORGE  E.  MOORE;   age,  21;   born,   Roxbury,   Mass.;   teamster;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Aug.  i,  '62. 

-.    GEORGE    H.  MOORE;  age,  27;    born,  Framingham,   Mass.;    farmer;  mustered 
Q"  ^^/  in  as   priv.,    Co.    I,  July    16,    '61;    mustered  out,   Aug.  I,   '64;    residence, 

Dedham,  Mass. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  441 

HENRY    F.    MOORE;   age,  21;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

JAMKS    E.    MOORE;  age,   23;    born,    Philadelphia,    Perm.;    upholsterer;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  Nov.  15,  '63,  Y.R.C. 
JOHN    H.     MoORE;    age,  21;  born,   Sudbury,  Mass.;    farmer;  mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  F,    July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
RUFUS   C.    MOORE;    age,  35;    born,   Manchester,  Me.;   shoemaker;    mustered   '^•P  / 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  Feb.  12,  '62;   transferred  to  V.R.C.,  July  14,  '64. 
CHARLES   MORAX  ;    age,   26;    born,   Canada;    seaman;    mustered   in   as   priv., 

Co.  F,  July  27,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  8,  '63. 
EDMUND   J.    MORETON;    age,  22;    born,  Albany,  N.Y.;    currier;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  regimental  band;    mustered  out, 

Aug.  31,  '62;    residence,  Shrewsbury,  Mass. 
AMOS     C.     MORRILL;    age,  25;  born,  Orange,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in          >v 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  deceased. 
JOSEPH    M.    MORRILL;  age,  20;  born,   Peacham,   Vt.;    marketinan ;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
EDNVIN     F.    MORRIS;    age,    19;    born,   Alden,   N.Y.;    clerk;    mustered   in    as        >, 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Aug.  30,  '62,  at  second  Bull  Run. 
ROLAND   B.    MORRIS;    age,  22;   born,  Nantucket,  Mass.;   architect;  mustered         ,_ 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  July   I,    '63;    color  sergeant  when       v/J 

killed. 
AUGUSTINE    MORRISON;    age,    26;    born,    Scotland;    baker;    mustered  in    as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  27,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  21,  '64. 
ALBERT   E.    MORSE;    age,  20;  born,  Southbridge,  Mass.;  mechanic;  mustered 

in  as   priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '6l ;  mustered  out  as  Corp.,  Co.  B,  Aug.    I,  '64; 

wounded  at   Sandy  Hook,  Aug.,   '6l,  and  Manassas,   Aug.   30,    '62;    taken 

prisoner,  July  I,  '63,  at  Gettysburg;  residence,  Spencer,  Mass. 
AMOS   MORSE;   age,    33;   born,    Roxbury,    Mass.;    burnisher;    mustered  in    as 

priv.,  Co.   E,   July  27,   '61;   mustered  out,  Dec.  27,    '62;    address,  23   Mt. 

Vernon  street,  Boston. 
CHARLES   C.    MORSE;    age,  23;    born,  Wolf boro',  N.H.;  whitener;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  18,  '62. 
CHAS.    F.     MORSE;    age,    29;    born,    Marlboro',   Mass.;    mustered    in    as   2(1 

lieut.,  Co.  F,  July   16,  '61;  mustered  out   as  capt.,   May  10,  '65;   promoted 

to  capt.    and    commissary    of  subsistence,    Aug.    30,  '62;    served    with    the 

Army  of  the  Potomac  until  April,  '64;  then  at  Chicago,  as  depot  commis 
sary  of  subsistence  until   March,  '65,  when   returned  to  Army  of  Potomac 

as  inspector    of    the    commissary    department    of    all  the    armies    operating 

against  Richmond;   residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
FRANCIS  A.    MORSE;    age,   28;  born,   Peacham,  Vt.;    grocer;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  18,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
FREDERICK    H.    MORSE;    age,    26;   born,    Framingham,    Mass.;    shoemaker; 

mustered  in   as  priv.,  Co.    F,  July    16,  '6l;    mustered   out,   March   26,    '63; 

clerk  in  commissary  department;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
GEORGE  J.    MORSE  ;    age,  20;   born,    New  York  City;   clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,   July    16,  '61;    mustered  out,   Oct.   22,   '63;  promoted  to  ad 

lieut.,  59th  Mass. 

GEORGE    1.     MORSE;    age,  20;    born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  currier;   mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 


442  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


JEDEDIAH   MORSE  ;    age,  33;  born,  Framingham,  Mass.;   harness-maker;  mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 

Marlboro',  Mass. 
NEWTON   MORSE;    age,  29;   born,  Natick,  Mass.;  school-teacher;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  June  2,  '63. 
OSCAR    F.    MORSE;    age,   29;   born,   Haverhill,  Mass.;    painter;    mustered  in 

as  sergt.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  July  8,  '64;  promoted 

to  2d  lieut.,  July  25,  '62;    promoted  to  1st  lieut.,  Feb.  2,  '63;    promoted  to 

capt.,  Jan.  8,  '64. 
SIDNEY   B.    MORSE;    age,  18;    born,  Charlestown,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;    died,  Sept.  15,  '62. 
WlLLARD   MORSE;    age,   26;    born,  Natick,  Mass.;   carpenter;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  4,  '63. 
WlLLIAM   A.  MORSE;    age,  28;  born,  Livermore,  Me.;   provision  -dealer;  mus- 

teredinas  priv.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  7,  '62;    mustered  out,  April  15,  '63. 
KDWARD   J*    MORTON;    age,  22;    mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '6l;    mus 

tered  out  as  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 
GEORGE   MORTON;    age,  30;    Ijorn,  Ireland;    tailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

G,  July  29,  '63;   mustered  out,  Dec.  14,  '63. 
CHARLES  W.  MOSHER;    age,  18;   born,  Alburgh,  Vt.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.   I,  July  16,   '6l;    killed,  May  8,  '64;    promoted  to  corp.,  Feb.  I, 

'64. 
EDWARD   H.   MOSHER;    age,  21;   born,  Alburgh,  Vt.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61  ;    mustered  out,  Feb.  15,   '63;    wounded  at  Antie- 

tam,  Sept.  17,  '62;    residence,  Charlottesville,  Can. 
JOHN    L.  MOULTON  ;    age,  20;   born,  Natick,  Mass.;    shoemaker;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  June  18,  '62. 
CHARLES   MULLER;    age,    29;    born,   Germany;    clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  Aug.  4,  '63;   deserted,  Nov.  26,  '63. 
THOMAS  J.    MUNN;     age,  24;   born,  New  York  City;    watchcase-maker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    transferred,  May  i,  '64,  to  V.R.C.; 

wounded  at  Gettysburg;    residence,  Melrose  Highlands,  Mass. 
JAMES    MURPHY;    age,  24;   born,  Ireland;    seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv.,   Co. 

A,  July  24,  '63;    transferred  to  navy,  April  18,  '64. 

MICHAEL   MURPHY;     age,    26;    born,    Ireland;     shoemaker;     mustered   in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,  '64;    wounded   at  Bethel 

Church,  Va.,   '64. 
MlCHAEL  MURPHY;    age,    27;    born,   Ireland;    seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  F,  July  28,  '63;    transferred,  April  22,  '64,  to  navy. 
THOMAS   MURPHY  ;    age,  20;   born,  Ireland;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  Aug.  5,  '63;    transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 
GEORGE    H.    MURRAY;    age,  24;   born,   Lowell,  Mass.;   cabinet-maker;    mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  2,  '62;  reenlisted  and  transferred  to  39th 
Mass.,  July  14,  '64;  wounded,  June  18,  '64;  residence,  Northboro',  Mass. 
JOHN  L.  MURRAY;  age,  21;  born,  London,  Eng.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  I,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Cincin 
nati,  O. 

T.HOMAS   MURRAY;   age,  22;  born,  Ireland;   blacksmith;   mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  K.  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  25,  '63. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  443 

CHARLES    MYER;  age,  29;  born,  Germany;    locksmith;    mustered   in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  27,  '61;  deserted,  Sept.  27,  '62. 
CHARLES   L.    NASH  ;  age,  35;  born,  Boston;  musician;  mustered  in  as  bugler, 

Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  13,  '62. 
DAVID    A.    NASON  ;   age,  18;    born,  Portland,  Me.;    teamster;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  18,  '62. 
SAMUEL   N.    NEAT;   age,   33;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  ist  lieut.,  Co.  A,  July  16,          7. 

'61;   resigned,  capt.,  Feb.  i,  '63;  promoted  to  capt.,  June  28,  '62.  xy 

DAVID  NEIL!.;   age,  32;  born,  Berlin,  Scot.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

I),  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Sept.  22,  '63. 
JOHN    A.  NKILL;  age,  21;  born,  St.  Johns,  N.B.;  clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  Ib,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Oct.  n,  '62. 
CHARLES   R.    NELSON;  age,  29;  born,  Brooklyn,  N.Y.;    mariner;  mustered  in     ^Tv 

as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  4,  '62;  killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
DEXTER   C.   NELSON;    age,    18;    born,    Shrewsbury,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  21,  '62. 
KDGAR    F.    NEWHAI.L;    age,   21;    born,   Boston;    watchmaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '6l;    deserted,  July  21,  '62. 
WILLIAM   A.    NEWHAI.L;    age,  24;   born,  Lynn,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    resi 
dence,  Hudson,  Mass. 

OSCEOLA   V.    NEWTON;    age,  23;    born,  Southboro',  Mass.;    shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '6l;   died,  May  30,  '62,  Washington,  D.C. 
R.OLLA   NICHOLAS;    age,  24;   born,  New  Ipswich,  N.H.;    farmer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,    Co.    F,   Nov.    i,    '61;     died   of  wounds,   June   2,    '64;    wounded,        *J\ 

May  8. 
JOHN    NICHOLSON  ;    age,   22;    born,   Boston;    plumber;     mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  27,  '61;    mustered  out,  Nov.  30,  '62. 
JOSEPH   W.    NOBLE,   JR.;    age,    20;     born,     Stoneham,     Mass.;    shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  4,  '63. 
PETER    NOLAN;    age,   20;   born,  Carlow  County,   Ire.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Sept.  8,   '63;    wounded  at 

Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62;    residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 
BENJ.    P.    NoRRIS ;    age,    30;    born,  Boston;    carpenter;    mustered  in  ns  priv., 

Co.  E,  Aug.  n,  '62;    transferred  to  V.R.C.,  March  31,  '64;    wounded,  July 

I,  '63- 
JAMES   T.    NORRIS;    age,   24;    born,   Woburn,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as O{y     / 

priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Reading,    " 

Mass. 
\VlLHUR    F.    NORRIS;    age,  28;  born,  Windsor,  Me.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;   transferred  to  39th  Mass. 
MARRY    F.    NOWELL  ;    age,  31;  born,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   transferred  to  V.R.C.,  March  23,  '64. 
JOHN    NoYES,   JR.;    age,  38;   born,  Greenwood,  Me.;   teamster;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
JOHN    1>.  NoYES  ;   age,  23;   born,  Petersham,  Mass.;   student;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  April   I,  '63;    appointed  2d  lieut., 

28th  Mass.  Vols.,  April  6,  '63;    1st  lieut.,  May  12,  '63;    capt.,  May  6,   '64; 


444  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

brevetted  maj.,  lieut.-col.,  and  col.;  wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62,  and  Sept.  17, 
'62;  residence,  New  York  City. 

SAMUEL  NUTT;  age,  21;  born,  Topsham,  Vt.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
Corp.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Dec.  I,  '62. 

STEPHEN  L.  NUTTER  ;  age,  22;  born,  Sandwich,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

KMANUEL  NUTZE  ;  age,  34;  born,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  morocco- worker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  19,  '63; 
wounded;  residence,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

JOHN  A.  NYE  j  age,  22;  born,  Brooklyn,  N.Y.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  corp., 
Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  for  promotion;  commissioned  in 
another  regiment  (colored?);  wounded  at  Antietam;  residence,  Soldiers' 
Home,  Togus. 

FRANK  OAKLEY;  age,  22;  born,  England;  machinist;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  I,  July  28,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64;  wounded  in  the 
Wilderness. 

THOMAS  J.  ODDY  ;  age,  27;  born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  barber;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 

GEORGE    O'GRADY.     See  George  O.  Grady. 

MlCHAEL  O'LAUGHLIN;  age,  21;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61 ;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Oct.  8, 
'63- 

MONTGOMERY  OLMSTEAD  ;  age,  18;  born,  Chelsea,  Mass.;  student;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  16,  '62. 

HENRY  O'NEAL;  age,  24;    born,    Ireland;    laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

F,  July  23,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  5,  '63. 

DEXTER  D.  ONTHANK  ;  age,  29;  born,  Southboro',  Mass.;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  21,  '62;  residence, 
Worcester,  Mass,  tf  l^u^,  \^°Us  Cv-^t^ 

GEORGE  E.  ORROK  :  age,  20;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  cabinet-maker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  14,  '63;  residence, 
43  Sherman  street,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

WILLIAM    ORTT  ;    age,  24;    born,  Germany;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

G,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 

GEORGE  W.  OSUOOO  ;  age,  36;  born,  Haverhill,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  2,  '63;  resi 
dence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 

ANTON  OTTE;  age,  37;  born,  Germany;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F, 
July  29,  '63;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 

CHARLES  R.  PACKARD;  age,  19;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  book-keeper;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out  as  priv.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 
detailed  as  clerk  at  headquarters;  reenlisted,  April  8,  '65,  6th  U.S.  Vet. 
Vols.,  and  served  at  Gen.  Hancock's  headquarters  until  discharged;  resi 
dence,  Bridgewater,  Mass. 

CHARLES  E.  PAGE  \  age,  22;  born,  Norridgewock,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  Feb.  12,  '62;  promoted  to  ad  lieut.,  4th  U.S. 
Colored  Troops,  March  5,  '63;  was  captured  at  New  Orleans,  while  on  de 
tached  service,  June  23,  '63;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Dec.  13,  '62. 

CHARLES  EDWARD  PAGE  ;  age,  29;  born,  Hallowell,  Me.;  pianoforte;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61 ;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  445 


JOHN    PAGE  ;    age,   26;  born,   Sandwich,   N.H.;    tailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.., 

Co.  B,  Aug.  6,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
OSTENELLO    F.  PAGE  ;    age,  18;  born,  Norridgewock,   Me.;  shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  April  II,  '63. 
GEORGE    r.    PAINE;    age,  24;    born,   Uxbridge,  Mass.;    clerk;  mustered   in  as 

priv.,Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  14,  '63;  wounded;  residence, 

Boston,  Mass. 
HF.RSEY   G.    PALFREY  ;    age,  22;  born,  Grafton,   Mass.;  reporter;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.   7,  '62;    mustered   out,   March  31,  '64;    residence,  90 

Oxford  street,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
JOSKPH    PALMER  ;    age,  25;  born,  Ireland;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   K, 

July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Oct.  28,  '63. 
MOSES    P.    PALMER  ;    age,  30;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  1st  lieut.,  Co.  I,  July   I, 

'61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  March  9,  '64;  promoted  to  capt.,  Aug.  15,  '62; 

brevetted  maj.,  March  15,   '65;    wounded  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62,  and  at 

Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63;  residence,  Groton,  Mass. 
BENJAMIN   PARKER  ;    age,    29;    born,   Boston;    farmer;    mustered  in    as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  II,  '64. 
CHARLES    F.    PARKER:    age,   37;    born,    Southboro',  Mass.;    shoe-click;     mus 

tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61  ;    mustered  out  as  priv.,   April  6,  '63; 

also  veteran  of  Mexican  war;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
CHARLES   S.    PARKER;    age,   16;   born,  Southboro',  Mass.;    fanner;  mustered 

in  as  corp.,  Co.   I,  July   16,   '6l;     mustered    out   as  corp.,  Nov.    15,    '62; 

wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  "62;    residence,  Southboro',  Mass. 
EDGAR   PARKER;    born,    Framingham,     Mass.;     physician;     mustered    in     as 

asst.-surg.,  March  13,  '63;    mustered  out  as  asst.-surg.,  Sept.  24,  '63;    died, 

'92;    was  discharged  by  reason  of  wound  received  at  Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63. 
ELMER    PARKER;     age,  29;    born,   Hubbardston,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  D,  Sept.  u,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
GARDNER    R.    PARKER;    age,  24;   born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  freightman;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.   K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered   out,  April    20,    '63;    wounded, 

Dec.  13,  '62;   residence,  \Vorcester,  Mass. 


G.    H.    PARKER;     age,  23;   born,    Reading,   Mass.;    painter;     mustered   in  as 

priv.,  Co.    G,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    detailed  in   various 

positions  at  headquarters;   residence,  Reading,  Mass. 
LOWELL  P.  PARKER  ;    age,    20;    born,   Southboro',   Mass.;    farmer:    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;    deceased. 
LVSANDER    P.  PARKER;    age,  22;   born,  Worcester,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,   Aug.  I,  '64; 

taken  prisoner  at  Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63;    wounded  at  Petersburg,  June  18, 

'64;    Corp.,  Nov.  27,  '62;    sergt.,  Feb.    I,  '64;    residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
SvLVANUS   H.    PARKER;    age,  23;   born,  Southboro',  Mass.;    shoemaker;  mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I.July    16,  '6l;    mustered  out,   Dec.   30,  '62;    taken 

prisoner,  Aug.  31,  '62;    paroled  on  the  field;    residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
THOMAS   A.    PARKER;    age,  30;   born,  South  Danvers,  Mass.;    cabinet-maker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  26,  '63. 
WILLIAM    H.    H.    PARKER;    age,  20;    born,  Boston,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  I,  '61;  transferred,  July  16,  '64,  V.R.C.;   wounded 

at  Gettysburg. 


' '  ?r~f  Z) 


THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    A  It  MY. 


CHARLES   A.    PARMENTER;    age,    23;    born,   Marlboro',    Mass.;     shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  July  19,  '62. 
JOHN   PARRA  ;     age,  32;    born,  Central  America;    cigar-maker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.    K,  July  24,    '63;    transferred,   April   20,  '64,  to  dept.   of  N.\Y.; 

was  a  deserter  from  rebel  army. 
JOHN   A.    PARSONS;    age,  44;    born,  Uxbridge,  Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  Sept.  I,  '62;    mustered  out,  March  27,  '63. 
J.    CLARK   PAYSON,    JR.;    age,  29;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  D,  July 

16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  April  10,  '63;    sergt. -maj.,  Aug.  16,  '62. 
JONATHAN   C.    PAYSON;    age,   29;    born,   Exeter,   N.H.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  sergt.,  Co.   D,   July   ID,   '61;    mustered  out,  March  6,   '63;    promoted  to 

sergt. -maj.  Aug.  16,  '62;    died  at  Weirs,  N.H.,  Nov.  12,  '92. 
WILLIAM   A.    PEABODY  ;    age,   28;    born,  Danvers,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  5,  '62;    mustered  out,  Feb.  19,  '63. 
EDWARD   A.    PEARSON;     age,    27;     born,    West  Newton,   Mass.;    pianoforte- 
maker;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   I),  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out  as  priv., 

on  account  of  wounds,  Dec.  19,  '62;    residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
WILLIAM    B.    PEARSON;    age,  24;  born,  Stratham,  N.H.;  carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;    transferred  as  sergt.   to  V.R.C.,  Jan.    I, 

'64;   residence,  Lawrence,  Mass. 
JOHN   PEASE;    age,    26;    born,    Southboro',    Mass.;    teamster;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July   16,    '61;    mustered  out,   Aug.   8,    '63;    wounded,   May  4, 

'63. 
W.    H.    PEASE  ;    age,  40;    born,   Appleton,  Me. ;    mason;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July   19,   '61;    mustered  out,  Jan.    12,   '63;    wounded  at  Manassas,  ' 

Aug.  30,  '62. 
CHAUNCEY  L.  PECK;  age,   33;    born,    Boston;     coppersmith;     mustered  in   as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July   20,    '61;    killed  at  second    Bull   Run,    Aug.    30,    '62;    a 

Mexican  war  veteran. 
JOHN   P.    PEEBLES;    age,    24;    born,    Alburgh,  Vt.;    farmer;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61 ;    killed,  May  8,  '64;    promoted  to  corp. 
EDWARD    PELHAM  ;    age,   28;    born,   England;    seaman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  27,  '63;    transferred  to  navy,  April  22,  '64. 
WILLIAM    H.     PERDRICK  ;    age,   21;    born,   Lynn,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  II,  Aug.  7,  '62;    transferred  to  V.R.C.,  March  15,  '64. 
CHARLES    E.    PERKINS;    age,  27;    born,  Upton,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    died  of  wounds,  Sept.  27,  '62. 
JOHN   O.    PERKINS;    age,  22;    born,  Conway,  N.H.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  July  i,  '63. 
WlLLIAM  F.    PERKINS;    age,   28;    born,   Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  19,  '61;    mustered  out,  Feb.  2,  '63;    deceased. 
ABEL   O.    PERRY;    age,  23;    born,  Shrewsbury,  Mass.;    farmer;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.   K,  Aug.  i,  '62;    mustered  out,  Dec.  27,  '62;    wounded  at  Antie- 

tam,  Sept.  17,  '62;    residence,  14  Hancock  street,  \Vorcester,  Mass. 
LEONARD    L.    PERRY;    age,   28;    born,  Scituate,   Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  Aug.  7,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  9,  '63. 
PETER   F.    PETERSON;    age,    19;    born,   Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  B,  Aug.  n,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  44 


WILLIAM  PFAFF  :    age,   22;    blacksmith;    mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  A,  July  16, 

'61;   mustered  out,  Jan.  28,  '63;   died,  Dec.  2,  '86. 
AUGUSTUS  PFEIFFER;   age,  23;   born,  Grand  Duchy  Hesse  Darmstadt;   tailor; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  4,  '63;    resi 

dence,   Boston,   Mass. 
CHARLES   A.  PHILIPS;    age,  25;   born,  Sutton,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  23,  '63;   transferred  to    39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 
ELLIOT   C.     PlERCE;    age,  30;    apothecary;    mustered  in   as  sergt-maj.,    July 

16,  '6l;    mustered  out  as   maj.,  Aug.    I,   '64;  promoted  to   1st  lieut.,    Jan. 

16,  '62;  to  capt.,  Co.  II,  July  25,  '62;  maj.,  April  22,  '64;  wounded,  Aug. 

30,  '62;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
ENOCH   C.    PlERCE;    born,  Northfield,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  sergt., 

Co.  F,   July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  1st  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  promoted  to  1st 

sergt.,  Feb.  16,  '62;  wounded  at  Gettysburg;  residence,  Clinton,  Mass. 
HARRY    H.    PlERCE;    age,   25;    born,   Lebanon,  N.H.;    printer;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I),  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  15,  '61;  died  in  '62. 
JoHX    PlERCE,   JR.;    age,   21;  born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  11,  '62. 
JOHN    M.    PlERCE;    age,    10;    born,  Sterling,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered   in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  8,  '62;  deceased. 
WlLLIAM    H.    H.    PlERCE;    age,    18;  born,   Vermont;  book-keeper;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  9,   '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  taken  prisoner, 

Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  Chicago,  111. 
PROCTOR   PlNGREY;    age,  35;   born,  Mt.  Holly,  Vt.;    butcher;    mustered  in  as 

wagoner,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  22,    '62;  residence,   Fal- 

mouth,  Mass. 
JOHN   D.    Pl.UMMER  ;    age,   29;  born,  Upton,  Mass.;    bootmaker;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   K,  July  16,   '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.    I,  '64;  residence,   Whit 

man,  Mass. 
WALTER    F.    POLLARD;    age,    18:  born,   Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in   as  priv., 

Co.  A,    Aug.  8,  "62;    mustered  out,  Sept.  21,  '63,    to  accept  appointment  as 

hospital  steward,  U.S.  Army;  residence,  New  York  City. 
GEORGE    K.  PoMROV  ;  age,   22;    born,  Boston;    sailor;    mustered  in   as  priv., 

Co.  B,  July  31,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  4,    '62,    to  accept  promotion;    pro- 

moted  to   2d  lieut.,  3d   U.S.    Inf.,  July  17,  '62;    1st  lieut.,  Oct.  20,  '63;  re 

signed,  March  21,  '65;  residence,  Revere,  Mass. 
ABEL    H.    POPE;  age,  36;    morocco-dresser;    mustered  in  as   1st  lieut.,  Co.  F, 

July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out   as  capt.,  Oct.   3,  '63;  promoted  to  capt.,  Nov. 

29,  '62;   wounded,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
HENRY    F.  POPE  ;  age,  18;    born,   Boston;    shoemaker;    mustered   in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  July  18,  '62. 
IsAAC     B.    POPE  ;    age,   20;  born,  Waltham;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  19,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  2,  '62. 
JOHN    FOSTER  POPE  ;  age,  23;  born,  Dorchester,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  March  7,  '62;    promoted  to  l 

in  1st  Mass.  H.A.;    residence,  Philadelphia,  Pa.         i-ix/x^   <3  •    I  ty  O~v 
J.    FRANK     POPE  ;    age,  18;  born,  Dorchester,  Mass.;^tuden*t;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  24,    '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,    '64;    taken   prisoner  at 

Gettysburg,  July  I,  '63,  and  released,  March,  '64;    residence,  Milton,  Mass. 


THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

._/)    HUNTINGTON    PORTER  ;    age,  22;    born,  Lynn,  Mass. ;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.   G,  July    16,    '6l;    mustered   out,  Jan.  30,  '64;  wounded,  July  3, 

'63;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
./3    WlLLIAM    R.  PORTER;  age,  20;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

A,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Dec.   9,    '61;    commissioned  1st    lieut.,  nth 

Mass.,  and  killed  Aug.  30,  '62. 
ANGELOW    S.     POTTER;    age,  21;  born,  Fryburgh,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Co.  A,  Jan.  3,  '63. 
CHARLES   C.    PRATT;    age,  31;    born,  Roxbury,   Mass.;    gunsmith;    mustered 

in  as  sergt.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Jan.  25,  '63. 
CHARLES    R.    M.    PRATT;    age,  29;  mustered  in  as  capt.,Co.  E,  July  16,  '61; 

resigned,   Jan.  30,  '62. 
CHARLES   S.    PRATT ;    age,  18;   born,   Reading,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    detailed  in  am 
bulance  corps. 
EBEN   PRATT;    age,    19;   born,  Boston;    machinist;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

D,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;    residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
WlLMOT    K.    PRATT;    age,    18;   born,  Reading,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,   Co.   G,  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    i,    '64;    detailed  as 

guard  at  corps  headquarters. 
HENRY   A.    PRAY;     age,  25;   born,  Milton,  N.H.;    carpenter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.   H,  July   16,  '61;    mustered  out,   Nov.    15,    '61,   Baltimore;    resi 
dence,  So.  Natick,  Mass. 
SAMUEL    PRENTISS  ;     age,  48;   born,  Alstead,  N.H.;    musician;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  31,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

SAMUEL    S.    PRENTISS;    age,  48;    mustered  in  as  musician,  July  16,  '61;    mus 
tered  out  as  musician,  June  10,  '62. 
FRANK    PRESCOTT;    age,  21;  born,  Palmer,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  March  27,  '62;    mustered  out,  July  28,  ''62. 
HEZEKIAH     PRINCE;    age,  23;   born,  Boston;    machinist;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.   D,  Aug.    7,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.   27,   '63;    residence,  East  Boston, 

Mass. 
THOMAS    PRINCE  ;    age,    19;     born,  Boston;     brass-finisher;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    i,    '64;    wounded,   May  4, 

'63;    residence,  Chicago,  111. 
AZARIAH    PROCTOR;    age,    20;    born,   Medford,   Mass.;    shoemaker;     mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  64;    wounded,  May 

8,  '64. 
ELPHONZO   W.    PROUTY  ;    age,    25;    born,    No.    Brookfield,    Mass.;     farmer; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.   F,  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I, 

'64;    residence,  Worcester,  Mass. 
AUGUSTUS   W.    PUNCHARD  ;    age,   33;    born,  Boston;    painter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  A,  July  20,  '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  5,  '62. 
NATHANIEL   M.    PUTNAM;    age,  22;    born,  Hampton,  N.H.;    clerk;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  i,  '64; 

promoted  to  corp.,  May  I,  '63;    died,  Sept.  5,  '91. 
JOHN   QuiNN  ;   age,  23;   born,  Troy,  N.Y.;   sailor;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

I,  July  25,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 


«• 
THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS. 

JAMES    F.    RAMSEY  ;    age,    18;   lx>rn,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

E,  July  20,  '61;    mustered  out,  March  27,  '63;    residence,  Melrose,  Mass. 
ISAAC   B.    S.    RANDALL;    age,     36;     born,     Portsmouth,    N.H.;     shoemaker; 

mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  June  6,  '62;   resi 
dence,  Natick,  Mass. 
EDWARD    M.    RANSOM;    age,  21;   born,  New  York  City;  machinist;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.   D,   July   16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Dec.  20,   '61;   residence, 

Wakefield,  Mass. 
ROBERT    RAFF;    age,  28;   born,  France;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K, 

July  24,  '63;    deserted,  Oct.  24,  '63. 
THOMAS    F.    RATHBURN  ;    age,   20;    born,  Bolton,   Mass.;    butcher;    mustered      -T-v 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;   died  at  Winchester,  Va.,  March  15,  '62. 
WlLLIAM    RAWSONJ  age,  18;    born,  Worcester,  Mass.;    mechanic;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out   as  1st  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64; 

moted  to  Corp.,  Aug.  I,  '62;  to  sergt.,  Jan.  i,  '63;  died,  May  23,  '69. 
GEORGE     T.    RAYMOND;    age,  18;  born,  Milton,  Mass.;  student;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  29,  '62;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,   '64;  residence, 

Brooklyn,  N.Y. 
DANIEL    K.    REED;    age,  18;  born,  Littleton,  Mass.;  student;  mustered  in  as        .^^ 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds  received,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
EDGAR   C.    REED;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  clerk;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A, 

Aug.  7,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
GEORGE   M.  I).    REED;  age,  23;    born,  Bangor,  Me.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  \Vinthrop, 

Mass. 

HERBERT   A.    REED  ;  age,  22;    born,  Boston;    pianoforte  manufacturer;    mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded 

at  Wilderness;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
JAMES    K.  P.   REED;   age,   20;    born,    Bangor,    Me.;    clerk;     mustered    in    as  ^7^    if , 

sergt.,  Co.    D,   July   16,   '61;    mustered  out,   Nov.    14,    '62,   on  account  of 

wounds;  residence,  Clarendon  Hills,  Mass. 
LuCIEN   W.  REED;   age,    21;    born,   Hartford,  Conn.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  June  25,  '62. 
HENRY  REICHEIDT  ;  age,  32;   born,  Germany;   soldier;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  F,  July  29,  '63;  transferred  to  3gth  Mass.,  July  13,  '64. 
HENRY    REIMBACH  ;    age,  21;  born,  Germany;    brass-finisher;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  July  I,  '63, 

and  June  21,  '64. 
HENRY  E.  RENFREW;    age,   21;    born,  Groton,    Vt.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    residence,  Bradford, 

Vt. 

THOMAS   C.    RESTERRICK  ;    age,  29;    born,  Cornwall,  Eng.;  silversmith;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  9,  '62;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 

residence,  Gardner,  Mass. 
GEORGE    REYNOLDS  ;   age,  27;   born,  Nova  Scotia;   pressman;   mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  27,  '63;    transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 
FRANK   RHODES  ;    age,  27;    born,  New  York  City;    printer;    mustered  in  as          X 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  25,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   deceased.  X-/ 


450  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

ALBERT    RiCE;    age,   23;    born,   Brighton,   Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered    in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  May  23,  '62. 

?  ARTHUR  T.  RiCE;  age,  21;  born,  Framingham,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  31,  '64;  appointed  orderly 
sergt.,  May  8,  '62;  wounded  at  Bull  Run;  warrant  given  up  to  accept  clerk 
ship  adjt.-gen.'s  office;  residence,  Chicago,  111. 

CHARLES  F.  RiCE;  age,  19;  born,  Danbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  I,  '62;  killed,  May  8,  '64. 

EDWIN  RiCE;  age,  22;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out, 
Sept.,  '62. 

MOSES  P.  RiCE;  age,  22;  born,  Woodstock,  Vt.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  3,  '62;  residence,  North 
boro',  Mass. 

WlLHUR  H.  RiCE;  age,  18;  born,  Flolliston,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

WlLLIAM  H.  RiCE;  age,  20;  born,  Worcester,  Mass.;  mechanic;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  13,  '63;  residence, 
Worcester,  Mass. 

EDWIN  H.  RlCH;  age,  18;  born,  Northboro',  Mass. ;  shoemaker;  mustered 
.in  as  priv.,  Co.  F],  July  20,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

ELLIOT  A.  RlCH  ;  age,  21;  born,  Berlin,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F",  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  16,  '63. 

CHARLES  N.  RICHARDS;  age,  20;  born,  Norfolk,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  *6l;  mustered  out,  Nov.  26,  '62;  residence,  Wash 
ington,  D.C. 

HENRY  H.  RICHARDS;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  artist;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  6,  '63. 

A.  M.  RICHARDSON  ;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  Aug.  I,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Brookline, 
Mass. 

BENJAMIN  F.  RICHARDSON;  age,  19;  born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;  clerk;  mus 
tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Feb.  7,  '63;  wounded, 
Aug.  30,  '62. 

EDWARD    P.    RICHARDSON;    age,   24;    mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '6l; 

mustered  out  as  musician,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

A  JOHN  D.  RICHARDSON;  age,  18;  born,  Boston,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Sept.  17,  '62;  wounded,  Aug. 
30,  '62,  Manassas;  address,  Burton  Brewery,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

LORING  S  RICHARDSON;  age,  24;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  1st  lieut.,  Co.  G, 
July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  8th  Unattached  H.A.,  Sept.  19,  '65; 
mustered  out  from  the  I3th,  Jan.  8,  '63;  appointed  1st  lieut.  II. A.,  April  II, 
'63;  promoted  to  capt.,  Aug.  II,  '63;  wounded,  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30, 
'62. 

OSMAND  D.  RICHARDSON;  age,  19;  born,  Joy,  Me.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  6,  '62. 

THOMAS  C.  RICHARDSON  ;  age,  26;  mustered  in  as  leader  of  band,  July  26, 
'61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

HESELTON  RICHMOND;  age,  34;  born,  Springfield,  N.H.;  cabinet-maker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Aug.  12,  '62;  mustered  out,  Nov.  22,  '63. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  451 

WlLLIAM  H.  H.  RIDEOUT  ;  age,  20:  born,  Quincy,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  taken  prisoner, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  Quincy,  Mass. 

CHARLES  RIECKE  ;  age,  33;  born,  Germany;  gunsmith;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Sept.  17,  '63. 

JOHN  RlLEY  ;  age,  20;  born,  Canada;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I, 
July  28,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 

JOHN  RlLEY  ;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K, 
July  24,  '63:  deserted,  Feb.  3,  '64. 

FRANCIS  B.  RiPLEY:  age,  20;  born,  Paris,  Me.;  machinist;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  28,  '63;  residence,  Weston, 
Mass. 

WlLLIAM  E.  RiYERS;  age,  28;  born,  Boston;  ship-broker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Co.  A,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence, 
Togus,  Me. 

GEORGE  W.  ROAFE;  age,  26;  born,  Salisbury,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  corp.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  scrgt.,  Sept.  II,  '62;  pro 
moted  to  sergt.,  Oct.,  '61;  died,  March  10,  '80. 

CHANDLER  ROBBINS;  age,  41;  born,  Plymouth,  Mass.;  wheelwright;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed 
as  hospital  steward;  taken  prisoner  at  Fitzhugh  Hospital,  opposite  Fredericks- 
burg;  died,  April  11,  'So. 

CHARLES  T.  ROBBINS:  age,  22;  born,  Hillsboro',  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  24,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  3,  '62;  lost  an  arm  at 
Thoroughfare  Gap;  promoted  to  1st  lieut.  in  3d  Mass.  H.A.;  deceased. 

LEWIS  ROBERTS;  age,  24;  born,  Charlotte,  Vt.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  taken  prisoner  May  6,  '64,  and  died  in  Ander- 
sonville  prison,  July  22,  '65,  of  pleuritis;  buried  in  grave  No.  12,505. 

GILBERT  ROBERTSON;  age,  40;  born,  Glasgow,  Scot.;  saddler;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 

JOHN  ROBERTSON  ;  age,  26;  born,  England;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  Aug.  5,  '63;  transferred  to  navy,  April  18,  '64. 

EDWIN  F.  ROBINSON;  age,  35;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  19,  '64;  detailed  as  clerk. 

WlLLIAM  G.  ROBINSON;  born,  Brighton;  driver;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

GEORGE  E.  Roc  K  WOOD  ;  age,  25;  born,  Hopkinton,  Mass.;  carpenter; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  3,  '62. 

EUGENE  E.  RODGERS  ;  age,  26;  born,  Byfield,  Mass.;  shoemaker:  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  March  17,  '62;  transferred  July  13,  '64,  to  39th 
Inf.;  died  in  '82. 

FREDERIC  E.  ROGERS;  age,  18;  born,  Chelsea,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  D,  March  24,  '62;  mustered  out  for  promotion,  Jan.  4,  '64. 

JOHN  ROGERS;  age,  20;  born,  Albany,  N.V.;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  K,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Dec.  17,  '63. 

THOMAS  ROGERS  ;  age,  29:  born,  Wales;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
K,  Inly  29,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  22,  '63. 

EDWARD  FAY  ROLLINS;  age,  32;  born,  Randolph,  Yt.;  printer;  mustered 
in  as  corp.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  Aug.  i,  '64; 


452  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 


promotions:   sergt.,  Dec.  13,  '62;    1st  sergt.,  March  25,  '63;    ad  lieut.,  July 

I,  '63;    1st  lieut.,  May  i,  '64;    residence,  2  East  Brookline  street,  Boston. 
WlLLIAM   H.    ROOK;    age,  21;    born,  Burlington,  Mass.;    machinist;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  July  25,  '62. 
PETER  J.  RODNEY  ;    age,  23;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B, 

July  16,  '61;    transferred  to  U.S.  Cavalry,  Dec.    I,  '62;    promoted  to  sergt., 

ist  U.S.    Cavalry,  Dec.   20,   '62;    Q.M.    sergt.,  Jan.,   '64;     2d    lieut.,    5th 

Mass.  Cav.,  Jan.,  '64;    1st  lieut.,  Feb.,  '64;  capt.,  March,  '64;  final  muster 

out,  Nov.,  '65. 
JOHN   F.    ROSE;    age,   31;   born,  Germany;    tailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  July  16,  '62;    Carver  Hospital,  Washington, 

D.C.;   residence,  Hudson,  Mass. 
DONALD     ROSS;     age,   32;    born,   Inverness,   Scot.;    painter;    mustered   in    as 

sergt.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  July  16,  '62;    residence,  Hudson, 

Mass. 
EDMUND    H.    RoSS;    age,  21;    bom,  Boston;    clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  July 

16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64;    wounded. 

HARVEY  C.  ROSS;  age,  31;  born,  East  Haven,  Vt.;  bootmaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  badly  wounded 
at  Gettysburg;  deceased. 

WlLLIAM  ROSS;  age,  19;  born,  Providence,  R.I.;  tuner;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  68  Wes- 
leyan  Avenue,  Providence,  R.I. 

CHARLES  H.  ROUNDY;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  painter;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

EDWARD  F.  ROWE;  age,  23;  born,  Norridgewock,  Me.;  travelling  agent; 
mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  18,  '62,  to 
accept  appointment  in  U.S.  Navy. 

BENJAMIN  F.  RUSSELL;  age,  23;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  promoted  to  sergt.;  wounded  Sept. 

17,  '62;    died,  Oct.  25,  '63. 

CHARLES  F.  RUSSELL;  age.  32;  born,  Portland,  Me.;  mechanic;  mustered 
in  as  corp.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  23,  '62;  deceased. 

FRANCIS  B.  RUSSELL;  age,  20;  born,  Wayland,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  8,  '63;  residence, 
Hudson,  Mass. 

GEORGE  F.  RUSSELL;  age,  28;  born,  New  Ipswich,  N.H.;  attorney  and 
counsellor  at  law;  mustered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out, 
Feb.  19,  '62;  promoted  to  2cl  lieut.,  I7th  Mass.,  Feb.  19,  '62. 

JOHN  M.  RUSSELL;  age,  20;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  July  I,  '63;  promoted  to  corp. 

LAURIMAN  H.  RUSSELL;  age,  34;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  engineer;  mus 
tered  in  as  musician,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  15,  '63;  resi 
dence,  Winthrop,  Mass. 

NATHAN  RUSSELL;  age,  28;  born,  Wayland,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  Jan.  2,  '64;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  inf.;  wounded 
in  the  Wilderness. 

1JANIEL  RYAN;  age,  19;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Aug.  23,  '61. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  453 

DENNIS   RYAN;    age,  28;  born,  Ireland;  laborer;  mustered  in   as  priv».,  Cc.  C, 

July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  27,  '63. 
JAMES    RYAN  ;    age,  19;  born,  Ireland;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  -->». 

I,    July    16,    '61;    mustered    out,    Aug.    I,    '64;     wounded,    July    I,    '63; 

wounded,  May  8,  '64;  deceased. 
'1 HOMAS   RYAN;    age   18;    born,    Roxbury,    Mass.;    butcher;    mustered  in    as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  14,  '63;  residence,  Boston. 
AUGUSTUS  N.  SAMPSON;   age,  22;  born,  Boston,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as      J\       / 

2d  lieut.,  Co.  B,  July   16,   '61;  mustered   out   as    ist  lieut.,    Nov.    4,    '62;      ^      '/ 

prov.  marshal  at  Williamsport,  Md.,  winter  of   '61    and   '62;  residence,    116 

\V.  Concord  St.,  Boston. 
ALFRED    L.  SANBORN  ;    age,    26;     born,   Boston;    carpenter;    mustered   in    as 

corp.,  Co.  K,  July   16,   '61;   mustered  out   as   sergt.,    Aug.    i,    '64;    died 

(about  '68). 
HARRY   S.    SANBORN;    age,   22;    born,   Wakefield,   N.H.;    shipper;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
HERSCHELL  A.   SANBORN;    age,  22;    born,   Sanbornton,  N.II.;    farmer;  mus-      — 

tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  July  I,  '63.  *~ '* 

AUSTIN   W.    SANDERS;    age,   27;    born,    Athorn,  Ohio;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  1 6,   '61 ;    mustered  out   for  promotion  in  U.S.C.T.,  Nov. ~f} 

21,  '62;  died,*Dec.  18,  '82. 
WlLI.IAM   SANDERS;    age,  31;  born,  Germany;  engraver;  mustered  in  as  priv.,       '£J) 

Co.  E,  July  29,  '63;  killed,  May  8,  '64. 

JOHN   W.    SANDERSON  ;  age,  30;    born,   Brooklyn,    N.Y.;     wireworker;    mus 
tered  in  as' sergt.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  July  22,  '62. 
AMOS    P.    SARGENT;    age,  18;    born,  Concord,  N.II. ;    painter;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.    K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  on  detached  duty  as 

brigade  hospital  steward  a  great  part  of  time;  residence,  Brighton,  Mass. 
SAMUEL   W.    SARGENT;  age,  25;   born,  Boston;   clerk;    mustered   in   as    priv., 

Co.  I,  July   16,   '61;    mustered    out,  Feb.    28,    '63;    wounded  at   Manassas, 

Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
AUGUSTUS  SASSARD  ;  age,  20;    born,  Boston;  shoemaker;   mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  14,  '62. 
JOSEPH   M.   SAWTELL;  age,  21;  born,  Berlin,  Mass.;   shoemaker;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence, 

West  Brookfield,  Mass. 
APPLETON    L.    SAWYER;  age,  20;    born,  Shrewsbury,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  drummer,  Co.   K,  July  16,  '61;   mustered   out  as  principal   musician, 

Aug.  i,  "64;   promoted  to  principal   musician,  Jan.  I,  '64;   residence,  Wor 
cester,  Mass.      i.  ^  X/V-Z^«_*'   ^3<-' 
GEORGE   SAWYER;   age,    22;  born,    Portland,    Me.;    farmer;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.    C,  Feb.    17,    '62;   mustered   out,  Jan.    29,  '63;  wounded,  Aug. 

30,  '62. 
GEORGE   B.    SAWYER;  age,  24;   born,  Hampstead,  N.H.;  jeweller;   mustered 

in   as   priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  14,  '62;    mustered  out,   Oct.   31,    '63;    wounded; 

residence,  Boston,   Mass. 
CHARLES  G.   SAXTON;    age,  38;   born,  Weathersfield,  Vt.;   clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Sept.  2,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
JACOB   SCHNEIDER;  age,    26;    born,  Germany;    tailor;    mustered   in   as    priv., 

Co.  F,  July  25,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  20,  '63. 


454  THEEE    TEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

— -1 — '  JOHN  SCHNELL;  age,  27;  born,  Germany;  cabinet-maker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '6l;  killed,  May  8,  '64. 

FREDERICK  SCHOEN;  age,  30;  born,  Germany;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  July  25,  '63;  missing  from  June  3,  '64;  was  transferred  on  the  rolls 
to  the  39th  Mass.,  July  13,  '64.  Subsequently  he  was  found  and  transferred 
to  Co.  B,  32d  Mass.,  from  which  he  was  discharged,  June  29,  '65. 

EDWARD  W.  SCHUTTEE  ;  age,  20;  born,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  plumber;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64; 
promoted  to  Corp.,  Jan.  I,  '63,  and  to  sergt.,  July,  '64;  wounded  at  Antie- 
tam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  residence,  New  York. 

GEORGE  SCHWARTZ  ;  age,  26;  born,  Germany;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  H,  July  27,  '63;  deceased,  April  21,  '64. 

JACOB  SCHWARTZE;  age,  28;  born,  Switzerland;  butcher;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  30,  '63;  arrested  and  transferred  to 
39th  Mass. 

CHARLES  SCOTT;  age,  21;  born,  Nova  Scotia;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  July  14,  '62. 

EDWIN  B.  SCOTT;  age,  33;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
sergt.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Nov.  30,  '62;  wounded,  Aug. 
30,  '62. 

CHARLES  H.  R.  SCREIBER;  age,  26;  mustered  in  as  capt.,  July  16,  '61; 
mustered  out,  April  i,  '62. 

SAMUEL  F.  SEABURY  ;  age,  20;  born,  New  Castle,  Me.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  taken 
prisoner  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  May,  '64;  residence,  Waltham,  Mass. 

JOHN  J.  SEARLE;  age,  26;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  "  Western  Flotilla,"  Feb.  18,  '62. 

CHARLES  SEARLES;  age,  31;  born,  Franklin,  Vt.;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  25,  '63;  deserted,  May  5,  '64. 

GEORGE  B.  SEARLES;  age,  22;  born,  West  Newton,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  27,  '63. 

CHARLES  VV.  SEARS;  age,  24;  born,  Sicily,  hairdresser;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

GEORGE  H.  SEAVER;  age,  25;  born,  Holden,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  i,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  last  known  resi 
dence,  Holden,  Mass. 

CHARLES  W.  C.  SENTER;  age,  23;  born,  Walpole,  Mass.;  machinist,  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  April  21,  '63,  to  accept 
appointment  in  the  navy;  appointed  3d  asst.  eng.,  May  4,  '63;  2cl  asst.  eng., 
Sept.  28,  '64;  drowned  while  at  his  post  of  duty  on  the  U.S.S.  "  Oneida," 
Jan.  24,  'jo,  in  the  China  Sea. 

>-^/^  LEONARD  SERRATT;  age,  25;  born,  Boston;  porter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  missing  from  Aug.  30,  '62;  buried  in  Wyoming  ceme 
tery,  Melrose,  Mass. 

ANDREW  J.  SEVERANCE;  age,  24;  born,  Augusta,  Me.;  shoemaker,  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  17,  '63. 

PERRY  SEYMOUR;  age,  22;  born,  Canada;  painter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  21,  '63. 

THOMAS  SHAE;    age,   26;    born,   New   York   City;    carpenter;    mustered  in  as 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  455 


priv.,  Co.  K,   July    16,    '6l;    deserted,  July  29,  '61,  while  passing  through 
Boston. 

GEORGE  H.  SHAW;  bookkeeper;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61; 
transferred  to  Co.  I,  9th  N.Y.  (83d  Vols.),  Oct.  I,  '61;  discharged  from 
service,  April  9,  '63. 

JOHN  H.  SHAW;  age,  19;  born,  Boston;  milkman;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
A,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Oct.  IO,  '63;  2d  lieut.  3d  H.A.;  wounded; 
residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

A.  A.  SHEAFE  ;  age,  21;  born,  Lynn,  Mass.;  wood-carver;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  promoted 
to  Corp.,  May  I,  '62;  sergt.,  March  I,  '63;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17, 
'62;  residence,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

JAMES  A.  SHEDD  ;  age,  23;  born,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  22,  '62;  mustered  out,  March  I,  '64,  Washington;  clerk 
at  headquarters,  2d  Div.,  1st  A.C.,  also  chief  clerk  draft  bureau,  A.G.O., 
Washington;  residence,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

WlLI.IAM  E.  SHEDD  ;  age,  22;  born,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  14,  '62;  mustered  out,  Dec.  I,  '63;  on  duty  in 
adjutant-general's  office,  Washington,  D.C.;  residence,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
ALBERT  F.  SHELTON  ;  age,  24;  born,  Boston;  pumpmaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  29,  '6l;.  mustered  out,  Dec.  23,  '62;  wounded;  resi- 
dence,  Maiden,  Mass. 

CHARLES  W.    SH  ELTON  ;    age,  19;    bom,  Boston;    clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  Aug.  4,  '62;   mustered  out,  Dec.  2,  '63,  to  enter  U.S.  general  ser 
vice;  residence,  Washington,  D.C. 
JOHN    P.   SHELTON;    age,   18;   born,  Boston;    student;    mustered   in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  Aug.  6,  '62;   died  of  wounds,  Sept.  18,  '62. 
FREDERICK   M.    SHEPARD  ;    age,    39;    born,   Northampton,    Mass.;     soldier; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Feb.  6,  '62. 
HORACE   S.    SHEPARD;  age,    29;    born,    Dorchester,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.   8,  '62;   mustered   out,   Dec.   7,    '63;   residence, 
Sharon,  Mass. 
JOSEPH  E.    SHEPARD;    age,   23;   born,  Weymouth,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  June  25,  '62. 
WARREN    E.    SHEPARD;    age,   32;   born,    Walpole,    Mass.;    carriage-trimmer; 
mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  March   IO,   '63; 
residence,  New  York. 
JAMES   A.    SHERIDAN;    age,   20;   born,  Worcester,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  27,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
LOUIS  SHULTZE  ;   age,  38;   born,  Germany;   tailor;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

G,  Aug.  5,  '63;   deserted,  Sept.  17,  '63. 

WlLLIAM  A.  SHUTE  ;  age,  31;  born,  Boston;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  I,  July  16,  '62;  mustered  out,  June  6,  '63;  wounded  at  Manassas, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 

WlLLIAM  H.  SIBLEY;  age,  40;  born,  Westboro',  Mass.;  wheelwright;  mus 
tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  detailed 
as  acting  commissary  sergt.  at  Cuyler  General  Hospital,  Germantown,  Pa.; 
wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  died,  July  7,  '90,  at  Westboro',  Mass. 
MANTEL  SILVER  ;  age,  32;  born,  Azores;  seaman;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
H,  July  27,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass. 


456  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

JOSEPH  F.  SIMONDS;  age,  19;  born,  Charlestown,  Mass.;  printer;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Oct.  5,  '62. 

G.  H.  SlMPSOX;  age,  21;  born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  29,  '62;  wounded  at  Manassas, 
Aug.  30,  '62. 

JOHN  B.  SKINNER  ;  age,  40;  born,  Corinth,  Me.;  furrier;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  Nov.  5,  '63;  never  reported  for  duty. 

OTIS  A.  SKINNER;  age,  18;  born,  Milton,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  23,  '62;  residence,  East 
Milton,  Mass. 

_  JAMES  SLATTERY  ;  age,  20;  born,  Clare  Co.,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  appointed  corp.,  March  i,  '64;  mustered 
out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Worcester,  Mass.  iSj.  ^^ <j^jt^~  Qt^ 

DAVID  SLOSS  ;  age,  22;  born,  Aberdeen,  Scotland;  weaver;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  B,  July  25,  '61;  mustered  out  as  color-sergt.,  Aug.  i,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  corp.,  Nov.  22,  '62;  color-sergt.,  Dec.  13,  '63;  wounded,  June  20, 
'64;  at  Petersburg;  residence,  Roseland,  111. 

_/')     ALGERNON   S.    SMITH;   age,  36;    born,  Sudbury,   Mass.;    carpenter;    mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  14,  '62;    deceased. 

CHARLES  H.  SMITH;  age,  26;  born,  England;  tailor;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  K,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  25,  '63;  arrested  Jan.  6,  '64,  at  Boston, 
and  transferred  to  39th  Mass. 

"^^.^  CHARLES  S.  SMITH;  age,  22;  born,  Belgrave,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  May  15,  '64;  cap 
tured  by  enemy  and  died  a  prisoner,  Dec.  24,  '64. 

DYER  S.  SMITH;  age,  21;  born,  Gilmanton,  N.H.;  salesman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  D,  July  24,  '61;  transferred  to  V.R.C.;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

EDWARD  SMITH;  age,  24;  born,  Lowell,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  6,  '63;  wounded,  Sept.  17,  '62. 

EDWIN  SMITH;  age,  21;  Greenville,  N.Y.;  nurseryman;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  K,  July  16,  '6i;  mustered  out,  April  i,  '63;  badly  wounded  on  Mary 
land  Heights  (opp.  Harper's  Ferry),  Aug.  24,  '61. 

rRANCIS  S.  SMITH  ;  age,  22;  born,  Boston;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  I,  March  17,  '62;  deserted,  June  25,  '62. 

FRANK  SMITH  ;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K, 
July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  25,  '63. 

GEORGE   SMITH;    age,    22;    born,    Bradford,  Vt.;     machinist;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.   G,  July  25,   '63;    deserted,  Aug.    19,  '63. 

r~~P  GEORGE  F.  SMITH;  age,  27;  born,  So.  Deerfield,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  18,  '63;  residence, 
Soldiers'  Home,  Togas,  Me. 

GEORGE  H.  SMITH;  age,  20;  born,  Lexington,  Mass.;  book-keeper;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  July  15,  '64; 
transferred  to  57th  Co.  V.R.C.,  Nov.  15,  '63;  residence,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

GEORGE  1.  SMITH;  age,  19;  born,  Wayland,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l;  reenlisted,  Feb.  16,  '64,  and  transferred  to 
39th,  July,  '64;  wounded  June  21,  while  with  the  I3th;  discharged  at  Stan- 
ton  Hospital,  Oct.,  '64. 

GEORGE   W.    SMITH;    age,  39;    born,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  shoemaker;  mustered 


THIRTEEN  Til    MASS.     VOLR.  457 

in  as  priv.,  Co.    II,   July  16,    '61 ;    mustered  out,  Oct.   21,    '63;    wounded, 

July  I,  '63. 
HENRY   SMITH;    age,  17;    born,  New  Haven,    Conn.:    painter;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
JAMES   A.   SMITH  J    age,  23;    born,  Mattapoisett,   Mass.;    painter;    mustered  in 

as  corp.,  Co.   I,    July  1 6,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  April  24,   '63;    residence,  Hoi- 
brook,  Mass. 
JAMES   H.    SMITH;    age,    30;     born,    Sandwich,  N.H.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;    died  of  wounds  received,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
JOHN   SMITH  ;     age,  21;   born,  Portland,  Me.;    carpenter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  25,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 
JOHN   SMITH  ;    age,  27;  born,  Germany;  cooper;  mustered  in   as   priv.,  Co.    I, 

July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
JOHN    H.    SMITH  ;    age,   285   born,  Germany;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

H,  July  29,  '63;  mustered  out,  Dec.  9,  '63. 
MARSHALL   N.    SMITH;    age,  21;  born,   Lancaster,  N.H.;  clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  5,  '62;  deserted,  Feb.  16,    '63. 
MELVIN   S.    SMITH  ;    age,  23;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  com.-sergt.,  July  16,  '61; 

mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    promotions:  2d  lieut.,  Feb.  17,  '62, 

and  1st  lieut.,  Nov.  5,  '62. 
SPENCKR   SMITH;    age,    20;    born,   Sudbury,    Mass.;    farmer;    mustered   in    as 

priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l ;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.    i,  '64. 
THOMAS   SMITH  ;    age,  20;  born,  Canada;  sailor;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H, 

July  21,  '62;  deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 
1  HOMAS   SMITH  ;    age,  38;  born,  Ireland;  coach-trimmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  24,  '63;  deserted,  Dec.  17,  '63. 
URIAH    H.    SMITH;    age,    23;    born,   Newry,    Me.;    teamster;    mustered  in    as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  "61;  mustered   out,   Jan.    10,    '63;    wounded,    July  3, 

'63- 
WlNSOR   SMITH  ;    age,  23;  born,  E.  Lexington;  produce-dealer;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  28,  '62;  residence,  Boston. 
CHARLES    E.    SNOW;    age,  32;    born,  Dover,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '6l ;  mustered  out,  June  20,  '62. 
GEORGE   W.    SNOW;    age,  26;   born,  Dover,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  June  18,  '62. 
GARDNER   G.    SOMES;    age,  31;  born,  Edgecomb,  Me.;  teamster;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Oct.,  '62;  died,  Aug.  22,  '66. 
\\ILLIAM   S.    SOULE  ;    age,  25;   born,  Turner,  Me.;  photographer;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '6l;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;   residence,  Mel- 
rose,  Mass. 

GEORGE    BENTON   SPAULDING  ;    age,    23;     born,    Tewksbury,    Mass.;     book 
keeper;    mustered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt., 

Aug.    I,   '64;    promoted    to  sergt.,  Dec.    13,   '62;    April,    '63,    detailed    in 

charge  of  guard  at  First  Corps  headquarters;  April,  '64,  in  charge  of  mounted 

pioneers  at  Fifth  Corps  headquarters;    residence,  Boston. 
EDWARD  W.   SPEARE;    age,  24;  born,  Lexington,  Mass.;   painter;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    deserted,  July  22,  '62. 
DENNIS   SPELLING;    age,  44;   born,  Ireland;    farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

I,  Dec.  22,  '63;  transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  Co.  B,  39th  Mass.  Vols.;  trans- 


K,  ^^ 


458  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

f  erred,  Jan.  2,  '65,  to  Co.   D,   32cl  Mass.   Vols.;    discharged,   June  29,  '65; 

wounded,  May,  '64;   deceased. 
GEORGE   SPENCER;    age,    18;    born,  Westminster,   Vt.;    clerk;    mustered  inns 

priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.  25,  '62;    mustered  out  as  corp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;   residence, 

Duluth,  Minn. 
JOHN    L.    SPENCER;    age,   24;   born,  Malone,  N.Y.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Sept.  15,  '61;    first  man  killed  in  the  regi 

ment. 
JOHN   W.    SPENCER;    age,   24;    born,   Berwick,   Me.;    carpenter;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,   Co.  G,  July   16,    '61;    mustered  out   as   sergt.,   Aug.    I,    '64;    resi- 
3l_-  dence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 

BOURNE  SPOONER  ;    age,  20;    born,   Watertown,   Mass.;    jeweller;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded  twice;  residence, 

Hinsdale,  N.H. 
AUGUST   SPOONHOLTZ  ;    age,  25;   born,  Prussia;    sailor;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  25,  '63;    mustered  out,  July  14,  '64. 
GEORGE    E.    SPRAGUE;    age,  27;    born,  Grafton,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.   K,  July   16,   '61  ;    died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg, 

July  15,  '63. 
WILLIAM    \V.    SPRAGUE;    age,  19;  born,  Boston;  painter:  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.   B,    July   17,   '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,  '64;    prisoner  from  April  30, 

'63,  to  Dec.  31,  '63;    residence,  St.  Johnsbury. 
GEORGE   A.    SPRINGER;    age,    37;    born,    Boston;    mariner;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  Aug.  5,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  July  I,  '63. 
AUGUSTUS   W.    SPURR  ;    age,  18;  born,  Jamaica  Plain,  Mass.;  crockery  dealer; 

mustered  in   as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;    resi- 

dence,  Boston. 

STACK;    age,  20;    born,  Ireland;    teamster;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D, 

July  16,  '61;    died,  July  23,  '62,  at  Alexandria,  Va. 
HOWARD   A.    STAPLES;    age,   21;   born,   Hanover,   Me.;    carpenter;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  Feb.  13,  '62;    transferred  to  39th   Mass.;   wounded,  July 

3,  '63- 
:    AUSTIN   C.    STEARNS;    age,   24;    born,  Upton,   Mass.;    bootmaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  corp., 

Sept.    12,   '62;    sergt.,   March  i,  '63;    wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  July  I, 

'63,  Gettysburg;    paroled,  and  returned  to  duty  after  a  few  days;    residence, 
,  Derry  Depot,  N.H. 

JONATHAN    STEARNS;    age,  19;    born,   Hopkinton,  Mass.;    farmer's  son;    mus- 
^*>*  t  tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence, 

V^v.  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

HENRY    H.    STEELE  ;    age,    26;    born,    Canada;     carpenter;    mustered    in    as 
*-(.  P"v.,  Co.  H,  Aug.  5,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  17,  '63. 

JOSEPH    S'l'ECHER  ;    age,    21;   born,   Germany;   brass-finisher;    mustered   in  as 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  20,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
AUGUST   STEIN;    age,  33;    born,  Germany;    shoemaker;    mustered   in  as   priv., 

Co.  D,  July  27,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
FRANKLIN   STETSON;    age,   35;    born,    Boston;     wheelwright;    mustered  in   as 

corp.,  Co.   I,  July  16,    '61;    mustered  out,  Carver   Hospital,  Sept.    26,  '62; 

deceased. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  459 


JAMES   H.   STETSON;    age,   19;   born,  Medford,  Mass.;   clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '6l;   killed,  July  i,  '63. 
WARREX   B.   STETSON;   age,  18;   born,  Quincy,   Mass.;   clerk;     mustered    in 

as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '6l;   mustered  out,  Jan.  I,  '63. 
WARREN    I.    STETSON;    age,  17;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;   deceased. 
WARREN    H.   STEVENS;    age,   20;   born,    Holden,   Mass.;     bootmaker;     mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  Feb.  28,  '62. 
LUCIEN    M.    STEWART;    age,    19;     born,    Staffordville,   Conn.;    farmer;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  24,  '6l;    deserted,  Aug.  26,  '61. 
SAMUEL   STEWART;  age,   27;    born,   Pennsylvania;    carpenter;    mustered   in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  July  24,  '63;   transferred  to  39th  Mass. 
EDWARD    A.   STIMPSON  ;    age,  30;   born,  Boston;   tinplate  worker;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  May  19,  '62. 
FRANK    E.    STIMPSON";    age,   22;    born,    Roxbury,    Mass.;    clerk;   mustered  in 

as  sergt.,   Co.    B,  July  16,  '61  ;    mustered  out,   July  21,    '62;   promoted  to 

2d  lieut.  in  the  regular  army,  in    '62;    afterwards,   to  1st   lieut.;    killed  near 

Fredericksburg. 
ISAAC   HALL   STIMPSON;    age,  22;    born,   Hillsboro',  111.;    clerk;    mustered  in     ~>N 

as  corp.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;   died  of  wounds,  Oct.  8,  '62. 
GEORGE   W.    STODDARD  ;    age,  29;    born,   Scituate,   Mass.;    hackdriver;    mus 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  24,  '62;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64.  __ 

WlLI.IAM    F.    STODDARD;    age,  18;  Ixjrn,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,   ^)  , 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Dec.  28,  '64. 
JOHN   S.  STODDER  ;  age,  26;  born,  Boston;  book-keeper;  mustered  in  as  pri%'., 

Co.  A,  July  20,  '6l;    mustered  out,  March  12,  '63;    residence,   Washington, 

D.C. 
HENRY   STOLDT  ;     age,  27;    born,  Germany;    cook;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

d,  Aug.  5,  '62;    deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
CHARLES   STONE;    age,  19;    born,  Sherburne,  Vt.;    shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,   Co.    I,  July   16,  '6l;    wounded,  July  I,    '63,  at    Gettysburg;    died  of 

wounds,  Oct.  4,  '63. 
CHARLES   ^  .    STONE;    age,  23;    born,   Frinton,  England;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '6l;    died,  March  16,  '62. 
FRANCIS    H.    STONE.  ;    age,  17,  born,   Southboro',  Mass.;    farmer;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out  as   1st  lieut.,  Aug.  I,  '64;    pro 

moted  to  sergt.,  Nov.  i,  '62;  1st  sergt.,  Feb.  i,  '64;  1st  lieut.,  May  9,  '64; 

residence,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
rRANK    L.    STONE;    age,  26'   born,  \Vestlx>ro',   Mass.;   bootmaker;    mustered 

in   as    corp.,  Co.    K,    July    16,    '6l;    mustered   out,  Sept.   5,    '62;    in   '63, 

commissioned  2d   lieut.,   35th    U.S.    Col.   Regt.;  Oct.,  '63,  promoted   1st 

lieut.  and  quartermaster,  37lh  U.S.  Col.;    residence,  Westboro',  Mass. 
GEORGE   B.   STONE;   age,  24;   born,  Jefferson  Co.,  N.Y.;  clerk;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July   16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,   '64;    residence,  \Vin- 

chendon,  Mass. 


GEORGE  D.  STONE;  age,  21;  born,  Natick,  Mass.  ;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  June  15,  '62.  .^k^  // 

HORACE  E.  STONE;  age,  18;  born,  Worcester,  Mass.;  farmer;  musteredin 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  12,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  3,  '63. 


, 


460  THREE    YE  ARK    IN    THE    ARMY. 

JAMES    L.    STONE  ;    age,  24;  born,  Northboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  July  16,  '6l;  discharged  as  corp.,  Nov.  n,  '62,  at  Harrisburg,  Pa., 

on  account  of  wounds  received   at  Antietam;    promoted  to  corp.,   July    19, 

'61;  rcenlisted  in  heavy  artillery;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
JOHN   E.    STONE;    age,  23;  born,  Framingham,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  June  18,   '62. 
loSIAH   STONE;    age,  36;    born,  Saco,  Me.;    carpenter;    mustered  in   as  priv., 

Co.   I,    July   16,   '61;    detailed  to  Mississippi  River  Squadron,  by  order  of 

Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  8,  '61. 
MOSES    E.    Sl'ONE;    age,  20;   born,  Northboro',   Mass.;    shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  June  13,  '63. 
WILLIAM   STRINGER;    age,   42;    born,    Boston;    editor;    mustered  in    as  priv., 

Co.  H,  July  24,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  9,  '64. 
JEREMIAH    STUART;    age,  21;   born,   Sudbury,   Mass.;    farmer;  mustered   in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  29,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.    I,    '64;    residence,  Clinton, 

Mass. 
JOSEPH    H.    STUART^    age,  20;  born,  Boston;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  corp., 

Co.  H,  July    16,  '61;    died  of    wounds,  May    10,    '64;    promoted   2d  lieut., 

March  22,  '63;  promoted  1st  lieut.,  March  4,  '64. 
DANIEL   SULLIVAN;  age,    23;    born,  Ireland;   laborer;    mustered    in    as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  4,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 

<&        JAMES   SULLIVAN;    age,  28;   born,  Lowell,  Mass.;    bootmaker;    mustered  in  as 
r'  J"  /    priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,    '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,    '64;    residence,  Ashland, 

"  "  • '  0?t      Mass. 

THOMAS    SULLIVAN  ;    age,  22;    born,  Ireland;    boatman;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  D,  July  23,  '63;    transferred,  July  13,  '64,  39th  Mass.;    wounded,  May 

10,  '64. 
1  HOMAS    SULLIVAN  ;    born,  Nova  Scotia;  laborer;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F, 

July  1 8,  '63;    deserted,  Nov.  28,  '63. 
iHOMAS   SULLIVAN;    age,  21;    born,    Ireland;    laborer;    mustered    in  as    priv., 

Co.  H,  July  25,  '63;    mustered  out,  April  17,  '64. 
THOMAS   SULLIVAN;   age,  21;     born,    Ireland;   laborer;    mustered    in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  24,  '63;    mustered  out,  April  7,  '64. 
T.IMOTHY   SULLIVAN;  age,  32;    born,    Ireland;    laborer;    mustered    in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  29,  '63;    deserted,  May  4,  '64. 
WALTER   E.  SWAN;  age,  18;    born,   Charlestown,    Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   A,  Aug.  4,  '62;    mustered  out,  Nov.  24,  '62;    residence,  Bos 
ton,   Mass. 
JAMES   SWEENEY;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

I,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Sept.  21,  '63. 
GEORGE   L.    SWIFT;    age,   19;    born,  Stowe,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
HORACE  C.  SYLVESTER;    age,  20;    born,  Westminster,  Vt.;    clerk;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.    14,   '62;    mustered  out,   April  I,  '63;    wounded  at 

Anti  'tain;    residence,  (ioshen,  N.Y. 
DEANE    W.    FAINTER;    age,   25;    born,   Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  2O,  '6l;  mustered  out,  May  28,  '62,  to  receive  promotion  in  the 

navy. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  401 

GEORGE   A.   TAINTKR;    age,  21;    l>om,  Sandwich,  Mass.;   gas-fitter;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.   A,  July   16,    '6l;    mustered   out,   Feb.    14,  '62;    wounded; 

residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
CHARLES   J.   TAYLOR;    age,  30;   born,  Boston;    teacher;    mustered  in  as  priv.,       w^T" 

Co.  D,  Aug.  13,  '62;   killed,  Dec.  13,  '62,  at  Fredericksburg. 
LEVI   TAYLOR;    age,  36;  born,  Stowe,  Mass.;  blacksmith;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Marlboro',  Mass. 
HlRA.M    S.   THAYF.R  ;    age,  20;    born,   Braintree,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
THEODORE  THEIL;    age,  31;  born,  Germany;  machinist;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  28,  '63;   deserted,  May  4,  '64. 

JAMES    L.   THOMPSON;    age,  29;    born,   Newfield,  Me.;    produce-dealer;    mus 
tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.   D,  July   16,  '61;    mustered  out,   Feb.   17,  '63;    pro-      vs7\ 

motecl  to  capt.,  in  Ullman's  Brigade,   U.S.C.T.;    died,   May  2,  '92;    buried 

in  Greenwood  Cemetery,  New  Orleans,  La. 
JAMES   W.   THOMPSON;    age,  28;    born,  Canton,  Mass. ;    clerk;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  25,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
JOHN    FHOMPSON j    age,   21;    born,   Canada;    seaman;    mustered    in  as    priv., 

Co.  I,  July  28,  '63;   deserted,  Aug.  16,  '63. 
THOMAS  THOMPSON;    age,  22;   born,  Scotland;    miller;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;   deserted,  July  24,  '62. 
WALTER   C.   THOMPSON;    age,    18;    born,   Woburn,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered 

in    as    priv.,  Co.   D,  July  20,   '6l;    mustered    out    as    sergt.,   Aug.    I,   '64; 

wounded,  Dec.  13,  '62. 
DAVID   S.   THURBERJ    age,  23;   born,  Mendon,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  "> 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;    killed,  Sept.  17,  '62,  at  Antietam.  ^-i 

JAMES   D.   THURP.ER  ;    age,   23;    born,   Plymouth,   Mass.;    clerk;    mustered   in 

as  priv.,  Co.  A,  Aug.   25,  '62;    detailed  as  clerk  at  brigade  headquarters; 

wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.    17,    '62;   mustered  out  as  capt.,  in  the  55th 

Mass.,  Aug.  29,  '65;    promoted  to  2d  lieut.,  55th  Mass.,  June   15,  '63;    first 

lieut.,  June  29,  '63;   capt.,  Dec.  I,  '63;    residence,  Plymouth,  Mass. 
FRANK.   A.   THURSTON  ;    age,  26;   born,  Otisfield,   Me.;    machinist;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  18,  '62. 
JoHN  C.  THURSTON;   age,  29;   born,  Grafton,  Mass.;    farmer;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.   K,  July   16,   '6l ;    mustered  out   as    musician,   Nov.   23,   '62; 

residence,  Grafton,  Mass. 
SAMUEL   D.   THURSTON;    age,    20;     born,    Boston;    farmer;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  C,  Aug.  8,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
ANSIL    K.   TlSDALE  ;    age,   21 ;    born,   Dover,   Mass.;    farmer;    mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  II,  Aug.  14,  '62;    mustered  out,  Nov.  26,  '62;    residence,  Dover, 

Mass. 
GEORGE    H.   IOBEY;    age,  22;    born,  Sommerville,  Me.;    carpenter;   mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  "61;   mustered  out,  Dec.  30,  '62;   promoted  to 

lieut.  and  maj.,  in  87th  U.S.C.T. 
R.    C.   TOTTEN  ;    age,   25;   born,   Londonderry,   N.S.;    blacksmith;    mustered 

in   as  priv.,   Co.   G,   July   16,    '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,   '64;    residence, 

Reading,  Mass. 
MORTON   TOWER;    age,   21;    born,    Randolph,    Mass.;    clerk;    mustered   in   as 

sergt.,  Co.   B,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out  as  capt.,  Aug.    I,  '64;    promoted 


462  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

to  2d   lieut.,  Oct.  23,  '62,    1st   lieut.,  Feb.  23,  '63,  and  capt.,  July  16,  '63; 

taken  prisoner  at  Gettsyburg,  July    I,    '63,    and   escaped  from  Libby  prison, 

Feb.  9,  '64;    residence,  Empire  City,  Oregon. 
WlNTHROP   TOWER;     age,   26;    bom,  Saxonville,  Mass.;    mechanic;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  24,  '61;    mustered  out,  Feb.  19,  '63. 
JOHN    H.    IOWNE;    age,    23;   born,    Brighton,   Mass.;   sailor;    mustered  in   as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,    '61;    mustered   out,  Jan.  10,  '63;    wounded  at  Fred- 

ericksburg,  Dec.  13,  '62;    residence,  Greenbush,  Mass. 
SAMUEL   L.    IOWNE;    age,  24;    born,  Haverhill,  Mass.;   shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Jan.  10,  '63. 
SAMUEL   W.    TOWNSEND  ;    age,    21;     born,    Boston;     clerk;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.    B,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  July  16,  '64,  in  the  field;    on   de 
tached  service  at  various  headquarters;    residence,  Chicago,  111. 
«^  ILJ*  CHARLES   A.    iRASK;    age,   20;    born,  Starke,    Me.;   shoemaker:    mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.    K,    July    16,    '6l  ;    died,  Oct.    2,  '62,   of   wounds    received    at 

Antietam. 
EDWARD    F.    TRASK  ;    age,    18:    born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,    Co.    E,    July    16,    '61;    mustered   out,   Aug.    i,  '64;    residence, 

Boston. 
HOSEA    P.     1  RAVIS  ;    age,  24;   born,  Wayland,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  H,  Feb.  24,  '62;    mustered  out,  Feb.  16,  '63. 
EDMUND    IREATAST;    age,  30;   born,  France;  sailmaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  K,  July  24,  '63;   deserted,  Oct.  19,  '63. 
JOHN   A.    TROW;    age,    19;    born,  Concord,    Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered   in 

as  priv.,  Co.    F,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  May  19,  '62,   Carver  Hospital, 

Washington,  D.C.;    residence,  Duluth,  Minn. 
THOMAS    I1.     FROWJ    age,    23;    born,    Concord,   Mass.;    shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  Corp.,    Co.   G,   July    16,    '61 ;    mustered  out   as  sergt.,    Aug.  I,    '64; 

wounded,  Dec.    13,   '62,  and  July   I,   '63;    residence,   Hudson,   Mass. 
WlLLIAM    H.    TROW;    age,  25;    born,  Concord,    Mass.;    sailor;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.    I,  '64;    wounded,  Aug.  30, 

'62,  Manassas;    residence,   Hudson,   Mass. 
ALFRED   L.    TROWBRIDGE  ;    age,  18;    born,  Westboro',   Mass.;    wheelwright; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  March  21,  '62;    mustered  out,  May  24,  '62. 
*— • — O   EZRA   J.    TRULL;    age,  18;   born,  Boston;    clerk;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  A, 

July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  30,  '62;    promoted   to  capt.  in  39th  Mass. 

Vols.;    deceased. 
SMITH   IUCKER;     age,  34;   born,  Shrewsbury,  Mass.;    farmer;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  K,  Aug.  I,  '62;    mustered  out,  March  27,  '63;  residence,  Shrews 
bury,  Mass. 
GEORGE  H.    IUCKEY;  age,  20;  born,  Butternuts,  N.Y.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61 ;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
CHARLES   lURNER;    age,   21;    born,    England;    groom;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  July  29,  '63;    transferred,  July  14,  '64,  to  39th  Mass.  Vols.;  wounded 

in  the  Wilderness,  '64. 
JOHN   TURNER;    age,  44;    born,  Keene,   N.H.;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  I,  Sept.  I,  '62;    mustered  out,  May  24,  '63. 

MELZAR   G.   TURNER;    age,  19;  .born,  New  Portland,  Me.;    mechanic;    mus 
tered  in  as  Corp.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Sept.  4,  '62;  residence, 

Westboro',  Mass.        of    <_/    f]    bjxsz*jL*o^     fa***  ^' 


THIRTEENTH    JMX.S.     1'OLS.  463 

JOSEPH    H.  TWTTCHELL  J    age,  21;    horn,  Boston;  clerk;    mustered  in   as  priv., 

Co.  C,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  April  3,  '62;  wounded  at  Bolivar  Heights, 

Oct.  16,  '61;  residence,  Washington,  D.C. 
CHARLES   H.   TYLER  J    age,  19;  born,  Boston;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;   mustered  out,  April  30,  '63. 
LEWIS   ULRICA  ;    age,  30;  born,  France;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H, 

July  28,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  18,  '63. 
LEWIS   VANDOIXE  ;    age,  26;    born,   Holland;    cook;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

K,  July  27,  '63;   deserted,  Oct.  24,  '63. 
SAMUEL  VAUGHN;    age,  26;   born,  Boston;    painter;    mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

F,  July  16,  '6l;    mustered  out,  Jan.  3,  '63;    residence,  Boston. 
FREDERICK   VELLEY  ;    age,   32;   born,  Germany;    blacksmith;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  G,  July  29,  '63;    deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
JOHN  VlLES  ',    age,  44;    mustered  in  as  musician,  July   16,  '61;    mustered  out, 

Sept.  i,  '62. 
ALBION    L.   VINING;    age,  18;  born,  Avon,  Me.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  K,  July  29,  '62:  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  July  I,  '63;  resi 
dence,  Manchester,  N.H. 
HENRY   C.    VINING;    age,  24;    born,   Avon,   Me.;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,   Co.    K,   Aug.    I,    '62;    mustered   out  as   corp.,    Aug.    I,    '64;    taken 

prisoner  at  Gettysburg;  residence,  Haverhill,  Mass. 
HERMAN   VoiGHT;    age,   26;    born,  Germany;    barber;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  July  28,  '61;    mustered  out,  April  18,  '63. 
WlLLIAM   VOIGHT;    age,   22;    born,   Prussia;    locksmith;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  F,  Aug.  5,  '63;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Mass. 
EDWARD    A.   YORRA  ;    age,  23;  born,  E.    Hartford,   Conn.;    bookbinder;  mus-        7\ 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds,   May  5,    '64. 
FRANK   F.    WAIT  ;    age,  19,  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  A,  July  29,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  i,  '62. 
JOHN    N.    WATT]    age,  19;    born,  So.   Reading,    Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  B,  July  19,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64. 
OSGOOD   W.    WAITE;    age,   23;    born,   Maiden,    Mass.;  clerk;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,    '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.   20,   '62;    promoted  to   1st 

lieut.,  in  38th  Mass.  Vols. 
GEORGE   F.    WAKEFIELD;    age,    19,  born,   Boston;    machinist;  mustered  in  as       —7 

priv.,  Co.  B,  Aug.  7,  '62;  killed,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
AUGUSTINE   G.    WALCOrr;    age,  37;  born,  Stowe,  Mass.;  carpenter;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  16,   '64,  at  Washington; 

was  detailed  as  carpenter  at  Harewood  Hospital,   Washington,   D.C.;  resi 
dence,  Hudson,  Mass. 
BARTLETT  C.    WALDRON  ;    age,  18;  born,   Roxbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  24,  '6l;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  injured  at  Mar- 

tinsburg;  residence,  Chase,  Oconto  Co.,  Wis. 
SlGOURNEY   WALES;    age,  25;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co. 

C,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,   May  28,   '63;  was  promoted   to 

capt.,  in  the  55th  Mass.;  residence,  22  Hadley  St.,  X.  Cambridge,  Mass. 
iHOMAS   WALFORD;   age,  25;   born,   Wales;   carpenter;  mustered   in  as  priv., 

Co.  G,  July  28,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass. 


464  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

DAVID  S.  WALKER;  age,  22;  born,  New  York  City;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  detailed  as  chief  clerk, 
Letterman  Hospital,  Gettysburg,  from  July  6,  '63,  to  Jan.,  '64;  was  then 
detailed  as  chief  ward-master,  South-st.  Hospital,  Phila.,  until  July,  '64; 
residence,  29  Washington  St.,  Charlestown,  Mass. 

DENNIS  G.  WALKERj  age,  24;  born,  Scarboro',  Me.;  seaman;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out  ascolor-sergt.,  July  16,  '64;  wounded 
at  Laurel  Hill,  Spottsylvania,  May  8,  '64;  residence,  Hyde  Park,  Mass. 

MELVIN  H.  WALKER;  age,  19;  born,  Barre,  Mass.;  farmer's  son;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  Corp.,  Jan.  10,  '63;  sergt.,  Nov.  i,  '63;  residence,  Westboro', 
Mass. 

OLIVER  H.  WALKER;  age,  23;  born,  Portsmouth,  N.H.;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  transferred,  Dec.  n,  '62,  to  24th  Inf. 

ROBERT  J.  WALKER;  age,  25;  born,  Boston;  carpenter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  A,  July  20,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Washington,  D.C. 

MATTHEW  R.  WALSH;  age,  28;  born,  Harlem,  N.Y.;  currier;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  13,  '63;  residence,  4  Dab- 
ney  pi.,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

CHARLES  C.  WARD  ;  age,  24;  born,  Springfield;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  C,  Aug.  6,  '62;  mustered  out,  July  31,  '63;  wounded  at  Manassas,  Aug. 
30,  '62,  and  appointed  clerk  in  U.S.  Treasury  Department. 

rRANK  C).  WARD;  age,  19;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  26,  '61;  mustered 
out,  Aug.  31,  '62. 

WILLIAM  WARD;  age,  18;  born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  wounded,  Sept. 
17,  '62;  residence,  \Varren,  Me. 

GRIN  S.  WARLAND  ;  age,  34;  born,  Portsmouth,  N.H.;  currier;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61 ;  mustered  out,  March  16,  '62. 

WILLIAM  R.  WARNER;  age,  19;  born,  Walpole,  Mass.;  student;  mustered 
in  as  4th  sergt.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  Aug.  I, 
'64;  promoted  to  1st  sergt.,  March  I,  '63;  2cl  lieut.,  May  i,  '63;  1st  lieut., 
March  10,  '64;  detailed  in  depot  commissary  department,  July  8,  '62,  to 
Oct.,  '62;  residence,  Fall  River,  Mass. 

ASA  J.  WARREN;  age,  35;  born,  Dover,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  2,  '62. 

DANIEL  S.' WARREN;  age,  36;  born,  Hopkinton,  Mass.;  bootmaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  reenlisted;  transferred,  July  13,  '64, 
to  39th  Inf.;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor;  residence,  Woodville,  Mass. 

STEPHEN  WARREN  ;  age,  27;  born,  Westboro',  Mass.;  laborer;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  detailed  as  attend 
ant  at  U.S.  General  Hospital,  Frederick  City,  Md.,  twenty  months;  resi 
dence,  Westboro'. 

GEORfJE  F.  \\ASHBURN;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  teamster;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  2,  '62. 

HARRY  N.  WASH  BURN  ;  age,  27;  born,  Madison,  N.H.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  sergt.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.;  promoted  2d  lieut., 
Nov.  23,  '62;  ist  lieut.,  May  22,  '63;  capt.,  March  10,  '64;  wounded  near 
Cold  Harbor,  June  2,  '64;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  residence,  Fort  D.  A. 
Russell,  Wyoming  Territory;  musician  in  regular  army. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  465 

JASON    D.    WASH  BURN  ;   age,    33;   born,    Woodstock,  Vt.;    painter;    mustered 

in   as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  19,  '62. 
N.    WATERHOUSE  ;  age,  28;    horn,  Boston;    shoemaker;    mustered  in  as  priv., 

Co.  E,  Aug.  ii,  '62;   mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 
GEORGE    WATERMAN  ;   age,   23;    born,  New  York  City;    fisherman;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  23,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  5,  '63. 
JOHN   M.   WATTS  ;  age,  21;  born,  Watertown,  Mass.;  painter;    mustered  in  as 

priv.,    Co.    D,  July  16,  '61;   mustered    out,  Aug.    I,  '64;    detailed  at    head 
quarters  2d  brigade,  2d  division,  1st  A.C.;  reenlisted  Co.  F,  7th  Mass.,  Oct. 

2,  '64;   mustered  out,  July,  '65. 
ISAAC   L.  WEBSTER;   age,  15;    born,  Wilmington,  Del.;    mustered  in  as    priv., 

Co.  B,  Feb.  II,  '62;  transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  3910  Inf.;    residence,  Chi 
cago,  111. 
SAMUEL   D.WEBSTER;  age,  16;   born,  Wilmington,  Del.;    student;    mustered 

in    as  musician,  Co.  D,  Feb.  28;  '62,    at  Williamsport,   Md.;    mustered  out, 

Feb.  28,  '65;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July,  '64;  residence,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
WlLLIAM  M.  WEEKS  ;  age,    19;   born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  farmer;   mustered  in 

as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,   '61;    mustered  out,  Oct.  29,    '62;    wounded,   Aug. 

30,  '62,  at  Manassas;   residence,  Woonsocket,  K.I. 
WlLLIAM    >>  ELCH  ;  age,  22;  born,  Ireland;   laborer;   mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 

K,  July  28,  '63;   transferred,  July  13,  '64,  to  39th  Inf. 
JOHN    F.   WELDON  ;  age,  19;   born,  Portland,  Me.;   harness-maker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.    A,  July  29,    '61 ;    Dec.    16,  '63,  died  of  wounds  received  at 

Gettysburg,  July  i,  '63. 
WlLLIAM   B.    WELDON;  age,  22;    born,  Portland,  Me.;   chairmaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  A,  July  24,  '61 ;  mustered  out  as  corp.,  Feb.  2,  '64,  on  account 

of  wounds. 
THOMAS  R.  WELLES  ;   age,  28;  merchant;  mustered  in  as  quartermaster  sergt., 

July  16,    '61;    mustered  out  as  capt.,   Aug.    i,   '64;    promotions:   2d  lieut., 

Nov.,  '62;  1st  lieut.,  March  6,  '63;    capt.,  April  16,  '64;  deceased. 
ARTHUR   N.   WELLINGTON;  age,    18;  born,  Lexington,  Mass.;    clerk;    mus- 

tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  28,  '61;   mustered  out,  May  5,  '62;   deceased. 
CHARLES    H.    WELLINGTON;    age,    23;     born,    Ilolden,     Mass.;    bootmaker; 

mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    died  of  wounds  received  at  Antie- 

tarn,  Oct.  2,  '62. 
ALONZO   J.    WELLS;    age,    18;    born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;    clerk;    mustered  in    as     "~>»v 

priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  deceased. 
EDWARD    E.    \\ELIJ5;    age,    22;     born,   Boston;    carpenter;     mustered    in    as 

priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered    out,    Aug.    I,  '64;  acting  commissary 

sergt.  of  regiment;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 
EDWIN    N.    WELSH  ;  age,  25;   born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;     shoemaker;    mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds  received,  Aug.  30,  '62. 
MVRICK   A.    WKNTNVORTH  ;  age,  24,  born,  Lisbon,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered 

in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  wounded,  June  3,  '64;    died,  June  8,  '64,  of 
wounds. 

WALTER   H.    WENTWORTH  ;    age,  22;    born,  Milton,  Mass.;  goldbeater;. mus 
tered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '6l;   deserted,  July  21,  '62. 
CHARLES    H.    WESTON;  age,  21;  born,  Friendsville,  Pa.;  operative;  mustered 

in  as    priv.,  Co.  G,  July   16,    '61;    mustered    out,    Dec.    6,  '62;    wounded, 
Sept.  17,  '62. 


466  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

JOSEPH  B.  WHEELER;  age,  24;  born,  So.  Reading,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  °6i;  mustered  out,  July  19,  '62. 

LLOYD  B.  WHEELER;  age,  22;  born,  Washington,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  17,  '63. 

NATHAN  R.  WHEELER;  age,  25;  born,  West  Acton,  Mass.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  20,  '63; 
wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  residence,  Hudson,  Mass. 

SAMUEL  W.  WHEELER;  age,  25:  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  24,  '62. 

TIMOTHY  E.  WHEELER;  age,  24;  born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  7,  '62. 

WlLLARD  WHEELER;  age,  25;  born,  Hopkinton,  Mass.;  bootmaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  July  i,  '63,  at  Gettysburg; 
appointed  sergt.,  March  I,  '63. 

PHILON  C.  WHIDDEN;  age,  21;  born,  Rockford,  111.;  medical  student; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  II,  '63; 
severely  wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62,  and  transferred  to  V.R.C., 
Oct.  I,  '63;  appointed  asst.  surgeon  U.S.  Navy,  Dec.  16,  '63;  mustered 
out,  Oct.  9,  '65;  residence,  Chicago,  111. 

DAVID  WHISTON  ;  age,  28;  born,  Boston;  painter;  mustered  in  as  ist  sergt., 
Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  capt.,  March  12, '65;  promotions: 
2d  lieut.,  July  26,  '62;  1st  lieut.,  Feb.  14,  '63;  capt.,  March  4,  '64;  taken 
prisoner  at  Gettysburg,  July  i,  '63;  released,  March  I,  '65;  deceased. 

CHARLES  W.  WHITCOMB;  age,  22;  born,  Brookline,  N.H.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  sergt.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  2d  lieut.,  Nov.  28,  '62;  killed  at 
SpoUsylvania,  Ya.,  May  8,  '64. 

HENRY  WHITCOMB  ;  age,  41;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  capt.,  Co.  F,  July  16, 
'61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  29,  '62;  wounded,  Aug.  30,  '62;  deceased. 

GEORGE  WHITE;  age,  29;  born,  Roxbury,  Mass.;  moulder;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  served  in  ambulance 
department ;  deceased . 

JOHN  VvHITE;  age,  21;  born,  England;  laborer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H, 
July  25,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  25,  '63. 

JOHN  H.  WHITE;  druggist;  mustered  in  as  hospital  steward,  July  16,  '61; 
mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  taken  prisoner,  Aug.  30,  '62;  exchanged,  April 
14,  '63;  enlisted  as  hospital  steward,  U.S.A.,  Dec.  31,  '64;  mustered  out, 
June  22,  '66;  residence,  Boston. 

JOSEPH  W.  WHITE;  age,  23;  born,  Boston;  apothecary;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  i,  '61;  mustered  out,  May  18,  '63,  and  promoted  to  hospital 
steward,  U.S.A.,  May  18,  '63;  deceased. 

GEO.  EDGAR  WHITEHOUSE  ;  age,  18;  born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  i,  '64;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64;  resi 
dence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 

ALBERT  B.  WHITING;  age,  21;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  G,  Aug.  18,  '62;  mustered  out,  Jan.  5,  '63. 

A.  D.  WHITMAN;  age,  25;  born,  Auburn,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  Co.  G,  Aug.,  '62;  mustered  out  as 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  467 


bugler,  Aug.  I,  '64;  Oct.  8,  '6l,  transferred  to  Co.  A,  as  bugler;  May,  '63, 
bugler  at  brigade  headquarters;  June,  '63,  at  First  Corps  headquarters;  May 
20,  '64,  transferred  to  brigade  headquarters;  residence,  East  Auburn,  Me. 

ALLSTON  W.  WHITNEY;  age,  32;  born,  Framingham,  Mass.;  physician;  mus 
tered  in  as  surgeon,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  promoted  to 
lieut.-col.,  March  13,  '65;  was  taken  prisoner  while  in  charge  of  hospital, 
Falmouth,  Va.,  June  I,  '63,  and  carried  to  Richmond;  was  liberated  in 
Nov.,  '63;  was  detailed  as  surgeon-in-chief  of  brigade  or  division  during 
most  of  his  service;  died,  Nov.  11,  '81. 

EDWARD  H.  WHITNEY;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I), 
July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

FRANK  H.  WHITNF.Y  ;  age,  16;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  Co.  A,  i6th  Regt.,  V.R.C., 
Dec.  i,  '63. 

GEORGE  B.  WHITNEY;  age,  17:  born,  Dedham,  Mass.;  student;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  29,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  corp.,  Dec.  2O,  '62,  and  to  sergt.,  Jan.  4,  '63;  detailed  at  brigade 
headquarters. 

HAKLEN  H.  WHITNEY;  age,  22;  born,  Natick,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  corp.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  27,  '63;  detailed  as 
clerk  at  headquarters  Camp  Distribution,  Alexandria,  Va. 

SAMUEL  C.  WHITNEY;  age,  33;  born,  Boston;  machinist;  mustered  in  as  1st 
sergt.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  as  1st  lieut.,  April  5,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  2d  lieut.,  Dec.  31,  '62;  to  1st  lieut.,  May  I,  '63;  residence,  Stone- 
ham. 

RUSSELL  J.  WHITON  ;  age,  25;  born,  Charlestown,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  corp.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61  ;  mustered  out,  Nov.  26,  '62;  died,  '88. 

EPHRAIM  T.  WHITTEMORE;  age,  18;  born,  West  Cambridge,  Mass.;  farmer; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  Aug.  n,  '62;  mustered  out,  Aug.  i,  '64. 

SAMUEL  K.  WHITTEMORE;  age,  23;  born,  Bennington,  N.H.;  clerk;  mus- 
icred  in  as  priv.,  Co.  D,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  17,  '63;  after 
wards  clerk  in  medical  department  at  Washington. 

BENJAMIN  J.  WHITTIER  ;  age,  28;  born,  Ft.  Independence,  Boston  Har- 
bor;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out, 
Aug.  I,  '64,  as  "absent,  sick." 

CHARLES  A.  WHITTIER;  age,  21;  born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;  shoemaker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  died  of  wounds,  Sept.  22,  '62, 
Chambersburg,  Va. 

JOHN  T.  WHITTIER;  age,  35;  born,  Newburyport,  Mass.;  painter;  mustered 
in  as  orderly  sergt.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  promoted  to  capt.,  1st  Maryland 
regt.,  '61. 

WlLLIAM  H.  WIGHT;  age,  30;  born,  Wilmington,  Vt.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  July  23,  '62. 

CHARLES  A.  WILLIAMS;  age,  32;  born,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  E,  July  28,  '63;  killed,  May  8,  '64. 

CHARLES  H.  WILLIAMS  ;  age,  32;  born,  New  York  City;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  Regt.  Band,  Aug.  7, 
'61;  mustered  out,  July,  '62;  residence,  San  Diego,  Cal. 


468  THREE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

FREDERICK  A.  WILLIAMS;  age,  24;  born,  Suffolk,  Mass.;  clerk;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

JOHN  WILLIAMS;  age,  32;  born,  Ireland;  cooper;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
I,  July  29,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64. 

JOHN  WILLIAMS;  age,  32;  born,  Liverpool;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
K,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  22,  '63;  arrested,  sent  to  Tortugas,  and 
dropped  from  rolls. 

LEONARD  T.  WILLIAMS;  age,  32;  born,  Stoneham,  Mass.;  teamster;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  July  19,  '62. 

WARREN   W.    WILLIAMS;    age,   21;    born,  Ashland,   Mass.;    machinist;    mus- 
*     tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;    mustered  out,  Jan.  9,  '63;    residence, 
North  Grafton,  Mass. 

WILLIAM  WILLIAMS  ;  age,  21;  born,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  seaman;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  April  u,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.,  July  14,  '64; 
wounded,  July  I,  '63. 

GEORGE  L.  WILLIS;  age,  18;  born,  Sudbury,  Mass.;  farmer;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '6l;  mustered  out  ascorp.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  promoted 
to  Corp.,  July  I,  '64;  wounded  at  Manassas,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

WILLIAM  W.  WiLLIS;  age,  25;  born,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  4,  '62;  deceased. 

EDWARD  K.  WILLOUGHBY;  age,  36;  born,  Rumney,  N.H.;  carpenter;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,. Feb.  19,  '63;  resi 
dence,  North  Woburn,  Mass. 

FRANK  P.  WlLLSON;  age,  20;  born,  Banbury,  Eng.;  bootmaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64;  pro 
moted  to  corp.,  Nov.  i,  '63;  sergt.,  July  i,  '64;  residence,  Natick, 
Mass. 

WILLIAM  H.  WlLLSON;  age,  18;  born,  England;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  K,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Dec.  29,  '62;  reenlisted  in  57th 
Mass.  Regt.,  and  killed  May  6,  '64. 

AUGUSTUS  WlLMARTH  ;  age,  18;  born,  Brooklyn,  N.Y.;  clerk;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  C,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Feb.  28,  '63. 

CHARLES  WILSON;  age,  23;  born,  England;  harness-maker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  G,  July  29,  '63;  deserted,  May  4,  '64. 

^^^^^ CrEORGE  WILSON  j  age,  32;  born,  Ireland;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  16,  '62;  killed  by  an  accident,  at 
Albany,  N.Y.,  '83. 

JOHN  WlLSON;  age,  23;  born,  England;  sailor;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  K, 
July  27,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63;  arrested;  returned  to  duty,  Oct.  6,  '63 
and  served  with  regt.;  wounded,  May  8,  '64;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.  Vols 

JOHN  WlLSON;  age,  21;  born,  England;  caulker;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
K,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Aug.  19,  '63;  arrested,  and  sentenced  to  hard 
labor  on  govt.  fortifications  for  one  year;  transferred  to  39th  Mass.  Vols. 

JOHN  WlLSON;  age,  33;  seaman;  unassigned  to  company;  mustered  in,  July 
27,  '63,  and  deserted  immediately.  No  further  record  of  him  at  the  War 
Department. 


THIRTEENTH    MASS.     VOLS.  4<)9 

WlLLlAM  WILSON  ;  age,  21;  born,  England;  seaman;  mustered  in  aspriv.,  Co. 
E,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  23,  '63. 

LOVELL  P.  WlNCH;  age,  44;  born,  Princeton,  Mass.;  paper-seller;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  II,  July  24,  '62;  mustered  out,  Nov.  10,  '62. 

STEPHEN  B.  WINCHESTER;  age,  22;  born,  Sandwich,  Mass.;  varnish-maker; 
mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  V.R.C.,  April  7, 
'64;  residence,  Portland,  Me. 

ALDEN  WINSLOW;  age,  19;  born,  Damariscotta,  Me.;  blacksmith;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  E,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded,  June 
21,  '64. 

JACOB  WlXTERS  ;  age,  27;  born,  France;  laborer;  mustered  in  aspriv.,  Co.  11, 
Aug.  5,  '63;  deserted,  Nov.  25,  '63. 

THOMAS  B.  WINTERS;  age,  21;  born,  Sandy  Hook,  Md.;  carpenter;  mus- 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  Oct.  i,  '61;  July  14,  '64,  transferred  to  39th  Mass.; 
taken  prisoner,  July  I,  '63;  deceased. 

ALONZO  P.  WISE  ;  age,  25;  born,  Hebron,  N.H.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
sergt.,  Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  transferred  to  V.R.C.,  Dec.  8,  '63. 

GEORGE  S.  WlSE  ;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  printer;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
D,  July  16,  '6l;  died  of  wounds,  July  12,  '63,  received  at  Gettysburg. 

CHAS.  F.  WlTHERBEE  ;  age,  21;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  16,  '61;  mus 
tered  out,  Sept.  I,  '62. 

WILLIAM  K.  WlTHERBEE  ;  age,  21;  mustered  in  as  musician,  July  16,  '61; 
mustered  out,  Sept.  I,  '62. 

SAMUEL  D.  Win;  age,  28;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  butcher;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64,  as  wagoner;  resi 
dence,  Ashland,  Mass. 

ADAM  \\OLFE;  age,  23;  born,  Germany;  cigar-maker;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  H,  July  25,  '63;  transferred  to  39th  Mass. 

ELI  H.  WOOD;  age,  21;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  Sept.  n,  '62;  died  in  '63. 

EPHRAIM  A.  WOOD;  age,  20;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
C.July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Nov.  10,  '62,  Harrisburg,  Pa.;  wounded  at 
Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62;  appointed  1st  lieut.,  55th  Mass.  Regt.;  residence, 
Boston. 

FRANK  J.  WOOD;  age,  21;  born,  Northboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  sergt.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  killed,  Aug.  30,  '62. 

SlMEON  WOOD;  age,  23;  born,  Prussia;  pedler;  mustered  in  as  priv.,  Co. 
H,  July  28,  '63;  deserted,  Oct.  8,  '63. 

GEORGE  W.  WOODBURY;  age,  18;  born,  A.cton,  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Feb.  n,  '63. 

J.  B.  WoODBURY;  age,  29;  born,  Monmouth,  Me.;  shoemaker;  mustered  in 
as  priv.,  Co.  H,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Jan.  27,  '62. 

ZOHITH  B.  WOODBURY;  age,  19;  born,  Marlboro',  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mus 
tered  in  as  corp.,  Co.  F,  July  16,  "61;  mustered  out  as  sergt.,  Aug.  I,  '64. 


470  THESE    YEARS    IN    THE    ARMY. 

JOHN  E.  WOODMAN;  age,  21;  born,  Tamworth,  X.IT.;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  A,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  Oct.  3,  '62. 

S.  B.  WOODMAN;  age,  26;  born,  Brixtine,  Me.;  mason;  mustered  in  as 
priv.,  Co.  E,  July  26,  '62;  mustered  out,  March  5,  '63. 

GEORGE  S.  WORCESTER;  age,  22;  born,  Boston;  clerk;  mustered  in  as 
corp.,  Co.  B,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out  as  major,  30!  Mass.  H.A.; 
promoted  to  sergt.,  April  I,  '62;  2cl  lieut.,  30!  Mass.  H.A.,  April  18,  '63; 
capt.,  Aug.  14,  '63;  and  major,  Oct.  13,  '64;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Sept. 
17,  '62;  taken  prisoner,  by  Wade  Hampton,  at  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  Oct.  IO, 
'62;  address,  99  Chauncy  street,  Boston. 

JOHN  F.  WRIGHT;  age,  28;  born,  Marlboro,'  Mass.;  shoemaker;  mustered 
in  as  priv.,  Co.  I,  July  16,  '61;  deserted,  July  23,  '62. 

ADNA  WYMAN  ;  age,  24;  born,  Solon,  Me.;  painter;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  G,  July  16,  '61;  mustered  out,  March  6,  '62. 

JAMES  A.  YOUNG;  age,  18;  born,  Boston;  fisherman;  mustered  in  as  priv., 
Co.  B,  July  1 6,  '61;  mustered  out,  Aug.  I,  '64;  wounded  at  Fredericks- 
burg,  Dec.  13,  '62;  residence,  Newport  street,  Dorchester,  Mass. 


The  total  number  of  men  in  the  regiment  was  1,439. 

The  record  of  the  men  wounded  was  so  imperfectly  kept  that 
it  is  impossible  to  make  any  statement  of  the  number ;  in  compiling 
the  roster  the  fact,  when  known,  has  been  stated  against  the  name 
of  the  individual. 


6' 7 1 


t*-~ 


INDEX. 


ABF.RCROMBIE,  GEN.,  assignment  to  hri-    BURKEITSVILLE,  152,  256. 
gade,  40;    about  meddling  with  rails,    BTRNSIDF.,       GK.N.,      relieves 
43;   report  of  reconnaissance  of  Com 
pany  1),  49;    relieved  of  command, 
53,  55;   mentioned,  219,  222. 

ANTIETAM,  battle  of,  135,  136,  139. 

AXTIETAM  CREEK,  7. 

AQUIA  CREEK,  72. 

"ARMED  MOB,"  261. 


McClel- 

lan,  155;  order  to  Gen.  Franklin, 
173;  relieved  of  command,  192,  193. 

BURNSIDE'S  CORPS,  342. 

BUTLER,  GEN.,  instructions  from  Gen. 
Grant,  318,  368. 

BUTTERKI.Y  CAVALRY,  191. 


ARMY  CORI'S,  assignment  of,  27,  133. 

ARMY  OF  POTOMAC,  letter  of  Dr.  Letter- 
man  about  surgery  of  battle-fields,  1 50 ; 
morning  report  of  Sept.  30,  '62,  151; 
address  to,  by  President  Lincoln,  174. 

ARMY  OF  VIRGINIA,  86. 

ASHBY,  COL.,  31,  33. 

AYRES,  GEN.,  342. 

BADGES,  order  about,  194,  195,  211. 

BAKERSVILLE,  255. 

BALTIMORE,  381. 

BANKS,  GEN.,  7,  13,  71,  84,  85,  96,  127. 

BEALTON  STATION,  276. 

BEAUREGARD,  GEN.,  368. 

BEAVER,  GEN.,  tribute  to  Gen.  Rey 
nolds,  232. 

BERLIN,  152. 

BERRYVILLE,  40,  43. 

BEST'S  REGULAR  BATTERY,  1 1. 

BETHESDA  CHURCH,  361. 

BLENKER'S  CORPS,  48. 

BLOOMFIELD,  153. 

BOONESBORO',  5,  9,  134,  135,  251. 

BOTELER,  ALEXANDER,  letter  of,  266. 

BOTTOM  CHURCH,  367. 

BOUNTIES  paid  for  reenlisting,  295. 

BOWIE,  MR.,  land  of,  173. 

BOWLING  GREEN,  342. 

BRADLEE,  ADJT.,  report  on  battle  of 
Fredericksburg,  167. 


BRISTOW  STATION,  108,  167,  272,  273, 


274. 

BULL'S  CHURCH,  346. 
BUNKER  HILL,  23. 


GARY,  Miss  HETTIE,  21. 

CATLETT'S  STATION,  258,  274. 

CEDAR  MOUNTAIN,  battle  of,  96;   report 

of  (Jen.  Hartsuff,  98;  mentioned,  253. 
CEDAR  RUN,  317. 
CENTREVILLE,  46,  214,  272. 
CHANTILLY,  1 19. 
CHAMBERSBURG,  143. 
CHANCELLORSVILLE,  campaign  of,  200, 

202 ;   retreat  from,  207. 
CHAPLAIN  preaches  in  Winchester,  38. 
CHARLES  CITY  COURT-HOUSE,  370. 
CHICKAHOMINY   RIVER,   367;    base   of 

supplies,  369. 
"  CHUCK,"  182. 
CITY  POINT,  380,  381. 
COLD  HARBOR,  instructions  from  Gen. 

Grant  about,  362,  363. 
COOPER,  WILLIAM,  i. 
COOPER  SHOP,  i. 
CORPS,  designations  of,  27,  133. 
COULTER,  COL.,  his  dog  "Sally,"  199. 
COUNCIL  OF  WAR  at  Gettysburg,  234. 
COUNCIL  OF  WAR  at  Williamsport,  255. 
CRAMPTON  PASS,  152. 
CRAWFORD,  (JEN.,  378. 
CUB  RUN,  272. 

CULPEPER  COURT-HOUSE,  97,  301. 
CUTLER,  GEN.,  349. 

D,  COMPANY,  as  body-guard,  66. 
DARNESTOWN,  u,  14. 


DAVIS,  JEFFERSON,  reported  dead,  12; 
his  cravats,  47;  hung  in  effigy,  87;  let 
ter  to  Gen.  Lee,  269,  339. 

(470 


472 


INDEX. 


DEEP  RUN,  212. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  RAPPAHA.NNOCK,  as 
signed  to,  48. 

DEPARTURE  FOR  HOME,  380. 

DESERTERS  to  be  shot,  267. 

DIVINE  SERVICE,  attendance  at,  66. 

DOUBLEDAY,  GEN.,  letter  about  Hart- 
surf's  brigade,  138;  to  support  his 
division,  166;  account  of  Chancel- 
lorsville,  204;  account  of  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  240. 

DUNKARDS,  society,  149. 

DUNKER  CHURCH,  135. 

EIGHTEENTH  CORPS,  357. 
EIGHTY-EIGHTH  PENNSYLVANIA,  157. 
ELEVENTH  CORPS,  133,  204,  223,  228, 

270. 
ELEVENTH  PENNSYLVANIA,  63,  103,  105, 

'138..  170,  171,  203,  211,  353. 
ELK  RUN,  60. 
EMMITSBURG,  221,  223. 

FALMOUTH,  reviewed  by  Gen.  McDowell, 

67;   mentioned,  60,  61,  160,  207. 
FAULKENER,  22. 
FIFTEENTH  MASS.,  1 1 . 
FIFTH  CORPS,  assignment  to,  27,  28,  35; 

mentioned,  276,  279,  313,  353. 
FIFTY-EIGHTH  MASS.,  328. 
FIFTY-FIRST  MASS.,  256. 
FIFTY-NINTH  MASS.,  328,  372. 
FIFTY-SEVENTH  MASS.,  328. 
FIRST     CORPS,     85,     133,     276,    279; 

Hooker's  Corps  to    be    called,    143; 

consolidation    with   the    Fifth,     311; 

Gen.  Newton  relinquishes    command 

of,  311. 

F.  F.  V's,  20,  23,  38. 
FLETCHER'S  CHAPEL,  173,  209. 
FORBES,    ARCHIBALD,   about   President 

Lincoln,  140. 
FORT  CRATER,  373. 
FORT  DAMNATION,  375. 
FORT  DAVIS,  377. 
FORT  HELL,  375. 
FORT  WARREN,  377. 
Fox,  LlEUT.-COL.  W.  F.,  small  number 

of  deaths  in   Thirteenth   Mass.,   88; 

about  fighting  regiments,  170. 
FRANKLIN,   GEN.,  order  received  from 

Burnside,  178;   mentioned,    171,  172. 
FREDERICK  CITY,  14,  162,  220. 


FREDERICKSBURG,  battle  of,  161,  250; 

Col.  Leonard's  report  of,   167;    Gen. 

Taylor's  report  of,  169. 
FREMONT,  GEN.,  71,  72,  85. 
FRONT  ROYAL,  76,  79,  81,  82. 

GAINSVILLE,  273. 

GETTYSBURG,  beginning  of  campaign, 
213,214;  battle  of,  225 ;  incident  of, 
by  E.  F.  Rollins,  241 ;  report  of  Gen. 
Robinson,  244;  losses  at,  246;  num 
ber  of  men  engaged,  246. 

GIBBON,  GEN.,  159,  162,  169. 

GOOSE  CREEK,  43,  256. 

GRANT,  GEN.,  assumes  command  of 
armies,  308;  reviewed  by,  315;  in 
structions  to  Gen.  Butler,  318;  out 
lines  the  advance  of  the  army,  318; 
shows  the  work  of  the  army,  335;  ob 
ject  in  moving  to  Spottsylvania,  337; 
about  return  of  wagons  from  Belle 
Plain,  339;  to  Gen.  Halleck,  from 
Spottsylvania,  340;  his  reasons  for 
advancing  on  Richmond  via  Rapidan 
River,  341 ;  instructions  at  Cold  Har 
bor,  362,  363. 

GREENBACKS,  issued,  32. 

GRIFFIN,  GEN.,  recommended  by  War 
ren,  342. 

GUILFORD  STATION,  216,  217. 

GUINEY'S  STATION,  345. 

HAGERSTOWN,  3,  4,  17,  150. 

HALLECK,  instructions  to  Meade,  220. 

HALL'S  BATTERY,  164. 

HALL'S  HILL,  120. 

HALLTOWN,  33. 

HAMILTON,  GEN.,  n. 

HANCOCK,  QEN.,  150. 

HARPER'S  FERRY,  7,  9,  10,  16. 

HARTSUFF,  GEN.,  assignment  to  brigade, 
53;  report  about  condition  of  brigade, 
54;  incident  with  the  cook,  56;  in 
structions  about  appearance  of  men, 
58,  59;  about  transfer  to  Banks,  84; 
report  of  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain, 
98;  testimony  at  Court  of  Inquiry,  122; 
mentioned,  147;  at  Cedar  Mountain, 
148. 

HARTSUFF'S  BRIGADE,  McDowell's  re 
port  of,  102. 

HARTWOOD  CHURCH,  213. 

HATS,  9. 

HAY  MARKET,  75,  272,  273. 


INDEX. 


473 


HEADQUARTERS  IN  THE  SADDLE,  ex 
planation  by  Gen.  Pope,  91. 

HKRRING  CREKK,  352. 

HILL,  GEN.,  letter  to  Gen.  Beauregard 
about  Grant's  position,  367. 

HOLLIDAV,  MR.,  25. 

HOOKER,  GEN.,  assigned  to  First  Corps, 
129;  to  command  Third  Corps,  129, 
130;  report  of  battle  of  Antietam, 
136;  to  command  Army  of  Potomac, 
193;  about  corps  badges,  194;  com 
pliments  Thirteenth,  195;  mentioned, 
205;  congratulatory  order  on  battle 
of  Chancellorsville,  208;  mentioned, 
214;  resignation  of,  219. 

HOWELL'S  STORE,  352. 

HUMPHREYS,  GEN.,  letter  from  Gen. 
Warren,  365. 

HUTS,  about  building,  174,  297. 

HYATTSTOWN,  14. 

I,  COMPANY,  sent  to  Front  Royal,  82. 
INDIAN  RELICS,  309. 
INDIANA,  TWELFTH,  55. 
ITINERARY,    Fifth    Corps,    May,    1864, 
353- 

JACKSON,  STONEWALL,  16,  30;  about 
pushing  an  army,  141;  death  of, 
206;  mentioned,  275. 

JAMES  RIVER,  crossing  of,  June  16,  '64, 

37'- 

JEFFERSON,  219. 
JERICHO  FORD,  347. 
JOHNSTON,  GEN.  Jos.  E.,  24;  letter  to 

Lee  about  McDowell's  corps,  74. 

KEEDYSVILLE,  135,  136,  151,  255. 
KELLY'S  FORD,  271,275. 
KETTLE  RUN,  214,  273. 

LAUREL  HILL,  charge  at,  334. 

LEARY'S  HOUSE,  365. 

LEE,  GEN.,  letter  from  Jefferson  Davis 
about  Antietam,  140-145,  146;  con 
gratulatory  order  to  his  soldiers,  May 
7,  '63,  208;  his  address  to  people  of 
Maryland,  218;  request  to  Gen.  I 
Meade  after  Gettysburg,  for  exchange  ; 
of  prisoners,  243;  appeal  to  soldiers,! 
July  n,  '63,  252;  about  Mosby,  267;  ! 
thanks  of  Confederate  Congress,  298;  i 
letter  from  his  Quartermaster-General 
about  distress  of  soldiers,  305;  appeal 


to  his  soldiers,  Jan.  22,  '64,  305;  about 
position  of  Union  army,  May,  '64, 
338;  letter  to  Confederate  Secretary 
of  War,  May  12,  '64,  341,  343;  an 
nounces  the  death  of  Gen.  Stuart, 

345- 

LEONARD,  COL.,  mentioned,  16;  re 
port  of  doings  at  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg,  167. 

LICKING  RUN,  276. 

LINCOLN,  PRESIDENT,  designation  of 
corps,  27;  letter  to  Gen.  McClellan 
about  McDowell's  corps,  50  ;  reviewed 
by,  69;  withholding  McDowell's 
corps,  73,  75;  a  question  of  legs,  74; 
Forbes'  account  of,  as  a  strategist, 
140;  order  to  Gen.  McClellan  to  cross 
the  Potomac,  143;  to  Gen.  McClellan 
about  the  possibilities  of  his  situation, 
144;  to  McClellan  about  his  sore- 
tongued  horses,  151 ;  address  to  Army 
of  Potomac,  Dec.  22,  '62,  174;  letter 
to  Gen.  Hooker,  assigning  him  to  com 
mand  Army  of  Potomac,  193;  reviews 
First  Army  Corps,  198;  suggestions  to 
Gen.  Hooker,  210. 

LOCKWOOD,  GEN.,  relieved  from  duty, 
358;  his  reply,  359. 

"  LONE  STAR  "  hamlet,  348. 

LONGSTREET,  GEN.,  on  Pickett's  charge 
at  Gettysburg,  238. 

MANASSAS,  march  to,  46 ;  mentioned, 
73,  84,  85;  battle  of,  108;  report  of 
Gen.  Pope  about  battle  of,  in;  ac 
count  of,  by  an  eye-witness,  116;  re 
port  of  Gen.  McDowell  about  his 
doings  at  battle  of,  114;  mentioned, 

277-         ' 

MANASSAS  GAP,  76. 
MANASSAS  JUNCTION,  214. 
MANGOHICK  CHURCH,  350,  351. 
MARSH  CREEK,  225. 
MARTIN,  PROF.  H.  NEWELL,  22. 
MARTI NSHU KG,  16,  17,  20. 
"  MARYLAND,  MY   MARYLAND,"  author 

of,  21. 

MASON  AND  SLIDELL,  34. 
MATTAPONY  RIVER,  345. 
MATTHEWS  BATTERY,  15,  102. 
MCCLELLAN,  GEN.,  about  marching  on 

Sundays,    13;    order  assigning  corps, 

35;     about     new     departments,     48; 

about  instructions  to  McDowell,  49; 


474 


INDEX, 


letter  to,  from  President,  about  Mc 
Dowell's  corps,  73;  letter  to  Secre 
tary  of  War  about  McDowell's  corps, 
82;  statement  about  McDowell,  119, 
120;  to  Halleck,  139;  about  Antie- 
tam,  139-141  ;  relieved  from  com 
mand,  154;  turns  over  command  to 
Burnside,  155. 

McCoY,  COL.,  circulars  to  brigade,  264, 
296,  297,  300,  303,  304. 

McCREARY,  R.  G.,  experience  at  Gettys 
burg,  247. 

MCDOWELL,  GEN.,  disposition  of  corps, 
50;  about  duties  of  corps,  64;  dis 
like  felt  by  his  men,  67 ;  despatch  of 
Gen.  McClellan  about  movement  of 
corps,  69;  cooperation  with  McClel 
lan,  70;  letter  to  President,  72;  letter 
from  President  about  marching  corps, 
74;  telegraphs  Secretary  of  War 
about  movement  of  Ord's  division,  77 ; 
about  joining  McClellan,  81,  84; 
about  wagon  trains,  8l ;  to  command 
Third  Corps,  86;  hung  in  effigy,  87; 
report  of  campaign  of  the  Rappahan- 
nock,  102 ;  Gen.  Pope  compliments 
his  corps,  103,  109;  relieved  from 
command,  114,  119,  130;  McClellan's 
statement  about,  119;  testimony  at 
Court  of  Inquiry,  122;  extract  from 
"  Boston  Evening  Transcript,"  126. 

MEADE,  GEN.,  takes  command  of  army, 
220 ;  instructions  from  Gen.  Halleck, 
220;  circular  to  the  army,  223;  let 
ter  to  Gen.  Lee  about  exchange  of 
prisoners,  244;  assignment  of  corps, 
Nov.  9,  '63,  276;  directs  order  of 
march  on  Mine  Run  campaign,  279; 
report  on  battle  of  Mine  Run,  290; 
order  of  instructions  to  army,  May  2, 
'64,  321;  appeal  to  soldiers,  May  4, 
'64,  327;  congratulatory  address  to 
soldiers,  May  13,  '64,  340. 

MECHANICSVILLE,  221,  361. 

MlDDLEBURG,  45,   153,  256. 
MlDDLETOVVN,   133,   150,  219. 

MILITARY  SCHOOL  at  Philadelphia,  317. 

MILK,  a  recruit's  mistake,  132. 

MINE  RUN,  campaign  of,  278;  order  of 

march,  279;  Swinton's  account  of,  283, 

286;   battle  of,  285;  an  experience  by 

E.  E.  Rollins,  281. 
MITCHELL'S   STATION,    100,   270,   296; 

about  building  huts  at,  297. 


"  MOLASSES,"  his   service  in  the   army, 

177. 

MORRISVILLE,  158. 
MOSBY,  JOHN  S.,  92,  256,  257;   letter  of 

Gen.  Lee  respecting,  265;  mentioned, 

280. 

MOUNTAIN  CREEK,  270. 
MOUNTAIN  DEPARTMENT,  85. 
MUD  MARCH,  186. 

NAVY,  transfer  of  men  to,  315. 
NEWTON,  GEN.,  letter  from  Gen.  Meade, 

268;   retires  from  command  of  First 

Corps,  311. 
NEWTOWN,  36,  275. 
NINETY-SEVENTH  New  York  regiment, 

157- 

NINTH  CORPS  mentioned,  344. 

NINTH  New  York  regiment,  u,  40-54, 

63,  158,  170,  366. 
NOEL'S  STATION,  348. 
NORTH  ANNA  RIVER,  350. 

"  OLD  BOWELS,"  account  of,  261-263. 

OLD  CHURCH,  346. 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTH  New- 
York  Regiment,  301. 

ONE  HUNDRED  FOURTH  New  York, 
211. 

ONE  HUNDRED  SEVENTH  Pennsylvania, 

211. 

ORD,  GEN.,  takes  command  of  division, 
62;  mentioned,  76,  77;  relieved  from 
command,  81;  sent  to  Corinth,  82. 

OVENS,  how  to  build  them,  196. 

PALFREY'S  story  of  Fredericksburg,  172. 
PAMUNKEY  RIVER,  crossing  of,  351. 
PARIS,  COUNT  DE,  tribute  to  Reynolds, 

231;     account    of    Mine    Run    cam 
paign,  287. 
PAUL,  GEN.,  takes  command  of  brigade, 

215;  order  to  brigade,  216;  wounded, 

227. 
PHILADELPHIA,    admission    to    military 

school  at,  317;   our  entertainment  at, 

on  way  home,  382. 
PIEDMONT,  75,  76,  79. 
PLEASANT  VALLEY,  7. 
POPE,  GEN.,  85;  to  McDowell,  87;  his 

famous    order,    90;     explanation   of 

"headquarters  in    the   saddle,"   91; 

testimony  at   Court  of  Inquiry,   107; 

report  of  battle  of  Manassas,  ill. 


475 


PONY  MOUNTAIN,  270,  301. 

POOLSVILLE,  ii. 

POTOMAC,  crossed  the,  256. 

PRINCE  GEORGE'S  COURT-HOUSE,  372. 

PURCELLVILLE,  152. 

RACCOON  FORD,  270,  271. 

RAPIDAN,  100,  326. 

RAPPAHANNOCK,  assigned  to  department 

of,  48. 
RAITAHANNOCK    STATION,    101,     154, 

157,  258,  259,263,  275,  277. 
RECRUITS,  arrival  of,  46,  100,   131,  263, 

264. 
REENLISTMENT,  bounties  to  be  paid  for, 

295- 

RENO,  GEN.,  129. 

REYNOLDS,  GEN.,  assumes  command  of 
First  Corps,  143;  compliments  bri 
gade,  169;  order  of  Gen.  Meade  to, 
229;  death  of,  231;  tribute  to,  by 
Comte  de  Paris,  231;  tribute  of  Gov. 
Beaver,  232. 

RICHMOND  TAKEN,  89. 

RICKETTS,  GEN.,  62;  assigned  to  divi 
sion,  81 ;  testimony  at  Court  of  In 
quiry,  104;  mentioned,  119,  126;  re 
port  about  South  Mountain  battle, 
134;  report  of  Antietam  battle,  136; 
relieved  of  command,  153. 

RITCHIE,  JAMES,  8. 

ROHERTSON'S  TAVERN,  279. 

ROBINSON,  GEN.,  175;  takes  command 
of  division,  199;  order  about  personal 
appearance  of  men,  212;  mentioned, 
223,  236;  report  of  Gettysburg  bat 
tle,  244;  report  of  Mine  Run  battle, 
292;  about  gambling,  307;  instruc 
tions  about  camp  duties,  310;  men 
tioned,  312,  388;  wounded,  353. 

ROHKESVILLE,  255. 

ROLLINS,  E.  F.,  experience  at  Gettys 
burg,  241 ;  an  experience  at  Mine 
Run,  281. 

ST.  MARGARET'S  CHURCH,  346. 
ST.  MARY'S  CHURCH,  370. 
ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCH,  351. 
SANDY  HOOK,  9. 
SANITARY  COMMISSION,  378. 
SAN  JACINTO,  35. 
SECOND  CORPS,  85,  276,  279,  285. 
SECOND  MAINE  BATTERY,  205. 


SECRETARY  OK  WAR,  to  Gen.  McOellan 
about  McDowell's  corps,  49;  to  Gen. 
McDowell  about  protecting  Washing 
ton,  51. 

SEDGEWICK,  testimony  before  congres 
sional  committee  about  council  of  war 
at  Williamsport,  255. 

SHAKi'SBURi;,  7,  8,  149,  150. 

SHELTER  TENTS,  issue  of,  66,  69. 

SHENANDOAH,  department  of,  85. 

SHIELDS,  GEN.,  76,  78,  81,  84. 

SHIRKS,  about,  179. 

SHOKOE  CHURCH,  367. 

SIBLEY  TENTS,  3;   taken  away,  66,  69. 

SIR  JOHN'S  RUN,  16. 

SIXTEENTH  INDIANA,  20,  40,  45,  55. 

SIXTEENTH  MAINE,  157,  211,  236,  275, 
301. 

SIXTH  CORPS,  133,  276,  279. 

SLIDELL  AND  MASON,  34. 

SM ALLEY,  G.  W.,  account  of  battle  of 
Antietam,  136. 

SMOOTHBORE,  account  of,  178. 

SNICKER'S  GAP,  41. 

SNICKERSVILLE,  41,  42,  43. 

SOUTH  ANNA  RIVER,  351. 

SOUTH  MOUNTAIN,  battle  of,  133; 
report  of  Gen.  Ricketts,  134;  state 
ment  of  Gen.  Hooker,  134. 

SPOTTSYLVANIA,  march  to,  333;  men 
tioned,  344. 

STAKKORD  COURT-HOUSE,  158,  159. 

STANTON  hung  in  effigy,  87. 

STEPHEN  SON'S  DEPOT,  29. 

STRASBURG,  77. 

STUART,  GEN.,  circuit  of  Union  Army 
at  Antietam,  143. 

STURGKS,  GEN.,  85. 

SUBSTITUTES,  263. 

SWEARING,  extract  from  articles  of  war 
about,  299. 

SwiNTON,  account  of  "  mud  march," 
189;  Mine  Run  campaign,  283,  286. 

TAYLOR,  GEN.  NELSON,  takes  command 
of  brigade,  147;  report  of  battle  of 
Fredericksburg,  169. 

THIRD  CORPS,  85-86;  Hooker  to  com 
mand,  129,  130;  mentioned,  133,  276, 
279. 

THIRTY-NINTH  MASS.,  258,  301,  370, 

377.  378.  38o. 
THIRTY-THIRD  MASS.,  215. 


476 


INDEX. 


THOROUGHFARE  GAP,  75,  105,  106,  107, 

273- 

TOWER,  GEN.,  109,  no 
"TRANSCRIPT,  BOSTON  EVENING,"  about 

Gen.  McDowell,  126. 
TRENT,  steamship,  35. 
TUCK, ,  Confederate,  visits  our  lines, 

158. 

TWELFTH  CORPS,  270. 
TWELFTH  INDIANA,  22,  55. 
TWELFTH  MASS.,  40,  59,  63,  138,  157, 

169,  170,  198,  205,  377. 
TWENTY-NINTH  PENNSYLVANIA,  n. 

VAN  BUREN,  PRESIDENT,  death  of,  95. 
VIRGINIA,  Army  of,  85,  86. 
VIRGINIA,  first  families  of,  23,  38. 

WADSWORTH,  GEN.,  mentioned.  49; 
wagons,  reduction  of,  197;  testimony 
about  council  of  war  at  Williamsport, 
255;  death  of,  329. 

WAGONS,  reduction  of,  197. 

WARREN,  GEN.,  circular  to  Fifth  Corps, 
313;  about  leaves  of  absence,  314; 
instructions  to  Fifth  Corps,  324;  about 
Generals  Griffin  and  Ayres,  342;  to 


Gen.  Meade,  May  25,  '64,  349;  com 
plains  about  marching  dark  nights, 
365;  orders  the  Thirteenth  to  the  rear 
for  muster-out,  379. 

WARRENTON,  81,  89,  154,  257. 

WARRENTON  JUNCTION,  47,  53,  258, 
272. 

WASHINGTON,  GEO.,  271,  374. 

WASHINGTON  ARTILLERY,  22,  46. 

WATERLOO,  95. 

WEBSTER,  FLETCHER,  63. 

WHEELOCK,  GEN.,  353. 

WHITE  HOUSE,  352. 

WHITE  OAK  CHURCH,  64,  209. 

WHITE  OAK  SWAMP,  370. 

WHITE  PLAINS,  75,  257. 

WILCOX  FERRY,  371. 

WILKES,  COM.,  35. 

WILLIAMS,  GEN.,  23. 

WILLIAMSPORT,  15;  departure  from,  20; 
detail  of  companies  at,  17;  council  of 
war  at,  255. 

WILSON,  SENATOR,  252. 

WINCHESTER,  29,  38,  275. 

WINDMILL  POINT,  371. 

YEAGER,  Indian  relics  found  on  farm 
of,  309. 


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